Sooner or Later
by MomentarySetback
Summary: Calleigh and Eric must deal with something much sooner than they expected.
1. Morning Light

**Author's Note: **I'm really sorry the summary sucks on this one, but a little suspense won't hurt you. ;-) This idea just kind of came to me when I was considering how Calleigh's character would truly react to a certain situation, and voila…this came about. Unfortunately, the idea was begging to be written during finals week, and I did a lot of writing when I should've been studying. But finals are all over and I'm DONE! Anyways, I hope you like it. It'll be my first big multi-chap, besides The Panic Room, which is just a short one, so hopefully the updates will be regular. Sorry this one is short.

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_Sleeping to dream about you, and I'm so tired_

_I found myself in the riches –_

_Your eyes, your lips, your hair,_

_And you were everywhere_

The sound was harsh and incessant. It yanked him from his dreams, from the warm comforts of slumber, and pulled him into consciousness. As he hastily reached an arm out to shush the blaring alarm clock, he quickly realized he didn't mind being stolen from dreamland quite as much as he should have.

Surprisingly, his arms were still wrapped snugly around Calleigh's tiny frame. Even more surprising was the fact that the obnoxious alarm had only slightly disturbed her. Calleigh was a light sleeper, and she was the epitome of a morning person. Usually she was up long before he was and had already gone for a run, although they often did that together in the evenings now…

But she was still here, seemingly perfectly content to sleep the morning away in his arms. Unfortunately, the alarm had gone off for a reason - they both had to work. But for a moment he indulged himself in a rare but pleasant occurrence. He watched Calleigh as she let out a tiny whimper of displeasure at the loud disturbance and then proceeded to nuzzle her beautiful face against his warm chest. Eric chuckled softly, trying not to disturb her even though it was inevitable.

She was gorgeous and adorable at the same time. Her blonde hair spilled out across the pillow behind her and her face was beautiful in the morning light, all telltale staples of the Calleigh he'd always known. But over the past two years he'd become accustomed to a new side of her, one he had hoped was lurking underneath her tough exterior. And _that _was the Calleigh who currently couldn't seem to snuggle her body close enough to him, who was now wrinkling her nose adorably at the lock of blonde hair that had just fallen to tickle her face.

Smiling, Eric extended a careful finger to lift the fallen strands, placing them back behind her ear. She sighed contentedly, again bringing her face closer to his body. Her movements sent a new wave of vanilla and something purely Calleigh toward his senses. God, he didn't want to wake her… He wanted to lie here all day, especially since her internal sleep clock seemed to be a bit off today.

Allowing them a few more moments of peace, he gently kissed her hair and simply held her in his arms. Coaxed by the steady beat of her heart against him, he relaxed, letting his eyes drift around their bedroom – well, _her_ bedroom, technically. Or was it? He didn't know anymore. The lines between them blurred so naturally that he wasn't sure when it had become so hard to distinguish hers from his. All he knew was that it happened of its own accord somewhere during the past year they'd been dating and it seemed to fit…his clothes mingling with hers in the hamper, their running shoes jumbled together in front of the bathroom after being kicked off hastily yesterday just before their communal shower. Then there was the dresser, which just amused him. She'd _kind of_ made space for him. The dresser was three-quarters jewelry, perfume, and…holsters, which was amusing in itself and so completely Calleigh. His space simply held a bottle of cologne, his watch, and the cross she'd given him when he was in the hospital… He took it home every night and hung it in his locker at work every day. Then, perched at each respective end of the dresser, sat their metal kits for field work, creating a sense of symmetry.

The sight quickly brought him back to reality and he glanced at the clock, softly cursing the time. Tightening his hold around her, he gently rubbed his hand up and down her upper arm.

"Cal," he whispered softly, pressing the softest of kisses to her forehead. "Calleigh, we have to wake up."

"Hmm?" was her sleepy reply, her eyes unusually groggy as she blinked a few times. Still within the realm of sleep, she closed her eyes once more and hugged Eric's body close.

"We have to get up," he uttered again, his lips still against her forehead. With just a slight movement, he kissed the bridge of her nose.

"I'm so tired…" she said, a hint of confusion in her voice. Stifling a yawn, she turned onto her back and glanced at the clock. "Oh my gosh," she let out, her southern accent coloring every word. "I can't believe I slept this late. Did the alarm go off?"

"Yeah." Eric chuckled, watching her amusedly. "You kinda slept through it, querida."

She smiled at the nickname, her green eyes piercing his as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Were you just lying here with me?"

He ran a hand through her soft hair, toying with the blonde ends before moving his hand to her cheek. "I was watching you sleep…" he told her, then cradling her jaw in his palm as he lowered his lips to hers. "…And waiting to do that."

"Mmm," she let out, her hand sliding up to run over his barely-there hair as she urged his lips back to hers. This time she took his bottom lip between hers, tugging slightly. She smiled against his lips as she pulled her body flush against his, feeling his muscular abs against hers where her tank top had ridden up. As her tongue grazed his lips, he knew they were playing with fire.

"Calleigh," he warned, tearing his lips from hers and swallowing hard as he tried to keep his control. "If you keep that up we're going to be late."

"Hmm, you're right," she noted, glancing at the time once more. "Guess I better go shower…" Slipping from the bed without another touch, she left him completely and utterly aroused, leaving him to watch her walk away in a tiny tank top and shorts. Turning around just before the bathroom, she flashed him a broad, flirtatious smile. With that she slipped into the bathroom, ignoring her sheer exhaustion.


	2. Drown Me In Love

**Author's Note: **I am LOVING summer break. So much time to write! I think this chapter will make up for the shortness of the first. It's pretty long…it kind of ran away from me, actually, and doesn't play into the main storyline a ton, but it is important. And some of this will come up later. Okay, I'm done being cryptic. I hope you like it! Please leave me some reviews and let me know.

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_Come on get higher_

_Loosen my lips_

_Faith and desire_

_And the swing of your hips_

_Just pull me down hard_

_And drown me in love_

Bullets never lied; they were physical, solid, scientific. Calleigh needed something concrete after a day like today, where the lines had been blurred and justice had been questioned. A woman had been killed for simply loving a man. A child had nearly gone into the hands of a manipulative biological father with a conniving lawyer. In the latter, they had been powerless to do anything at first. They were forced to watch a terrible man walk away with the son he'd only spent ten minutes with, fully knowing he'd killed the mother but lacking the evidence to prove it.

But bullets couldn't manipulate people or bend the truth. In the end, it was evidence, her evidence, that led to his arrest.

Calleigh had long since finished her report, but she couldn't stop playing the day's events through her head. With a gloved hand, she picked up the evidence bag, studying the .44 Colt. Cassie Nichols was a beautiful, vibrant young woman until a gunshot wound to the chest had turned her into a thing of the past. Calleigh knew there was something special, something honest, about the couple when Cassie's fiancé spoke to her and Eric. They were pure, innocent, deeply in love, and it had all been shattered with the gun currently in her hand.

"Calleigh?" His voice suddenly broke the silence, and her thoughts. Releasing a deep breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, she placed the gun back onto the counter and hesitantly met his eyes.

She looked tired, he noted. She was glowing and beautiful like always, but there was a hint of exhaustion in her movements and her eyes.

"Hey," she uttered, that softness he'd missed all day now present in her voice. It was a tone she seemed to reserve only for him.

"Hey," he echoed back, that crooked half smile she adored gracing his lips. "Ready to call it a day?"

"Yeah…" Her eyes lingered on the Colt for a moment, but she tried to shake away the remnants of the long day as she gathered up the evidence, placing it in lock-up. "Let's go home," she said, a tired but content smile lifting the corners of her lips.

The room was dim, lit only by a few scattered lamps in the room. Long-forgotten boxes of Chinese food littered the mahogany coffee table. The windows were open, welcoming in the cool breeze, and Calleigh shivered slightly. Eric tightened his hold on her, bringing her back closer against his chest on the couch. It had begun to rain twenty minutes ago, and the steady beat of raindrops might have lulled them both to sleep if their silence hadn't been so heavy.

He knew that something about today had bothered Calleigh. He had seen the way she'd been studying the gun, her eyes deep and pensive. He knew how days like these went. They had a mutual understanding; they would go home, sit or lie together, find solace in each other's company, and wait for the words to come. Sometimes it took minutes, sometimes hours…

He felt her breathe in deeply and he tucked his face into the crook of her neck, inhaling her sweet scent as he waited patiently for her. She placed her hand over his around her waist, her palm pressing against the warm back of his hand.

"Do you ever think about the bigger picture of what we do?" she finally let out, her thumb brushing against his.

"Yeah, sometimes… Maybe it's bad, but I try not to," he admitted, his voice soft and gravelly in her ear. "In what way do you mean though?" There were a thousand ways, he knew. They were enforcers of justice, uncoverers of truth…and sometimes, when a situation went bad, they were responsible for who lived or died.

"We deal with so many lives that have been changed forever," she said wistfully. "We handle these objects everyday, focusing on all the facts, and we have to keep our distance from the meaning of it all."

Eric propped his head up on his arm, looking down at her, while his other arm pulled her closer against him. She glanced down at their hands, watching as her fingers filled the spaces between his and interlocked.

"But today I looked at that gun," she continued, "and all I could see was her body…and her fiancé's face." She sighed shakily, swallowing hard. "That gun took away the entire future they'd imagined together. _That woman _took away their future," she uttered, correcting herself.

"It's hard to think about," Eric agreed. "Especially when we can't truly know why."

"They didn't do anything wrong," she said softly. "The only thing they did was fall in love…"

Suddenly Eric understood. Calleigh was distraught over this case because she and Eric were just like that couple…head over heels in love with each other and dreaming about the future. And one of them had been killed for it by a resentful, bitter human being.

Calleigh turned in his arms, cradling the back of his head with her hand as she pulled him into an intimate hug. "I don't want to lose you," she whispered, emotion hanging on every word. Her words it him hard, fully knowing that such a declaration did not easily leave Calleigh's lips.

"Hey," he whispered back, settling two fingers under her chin to lift her gaze to him. "I'm not going anywhere, okay?" He knew she didn't quite believe it from the worry in her eyes, but he was determined to spend the rest of his life making her believe. "You're stuck with me," he added, drawing a smile from her. She shook her head playfully at him, then resting her forehead against his shoulder.

Though her closeness and vulnerability warmed him, Eric knew Calleigh wasn't prone to emotional outbursts…at least not like this. It worried him a little. He wasn't sure what had brought it on.

As if reading his thoughts, she uttered softly, "It's just… I've never cared about anyone the way I care about you. Sometimes it feels too good to be true."

"It is," Eric began, punctuating the affection in his words with a kiss to her forehead, "but it's true. This is real, Cal. We went through a lot before we met each other, and we went through a lot even once we did, before we were finally together."

"Finally," she repeated, a smile playing across her lips. "You were my best friend for so long. I wasn't sure you'd ever make a move."

"I was terrified," he admitted, chuckling at the memory. Calleigh rolled her eyes humbly, which was ironic considering he'd always been intimidated by her. He knew they shared a special bond, but he'd doubted her interest in him. On top of that, they worked together and they were best friends. The thought of approaching Calleigh was enough in itself to make any sensible man nervous, but if you combined that with their close but very professional relationship, it had most certainly terrified him.

Calleigh watched the flash of memories, of feelings, in his eyes, admiring the depth of the deep chocolate brown.

"It was worth it though," he told her, staring straight into her blue-green eyes.

_Calleigh tilted her head back beneath the stream of nearly too hot water, letting it rinse away the remnants of the hospital. She wanted it all to be done with, both physically and mentally. She was tired of being "sick," of being weak. At least now she could be away from sterile sheets, blankets, and towels, and back into the comforts of her home. A week had been far, far too long._

_Of course, Eric had begged to differ, she recalled with a smile as she rinsed her favorite shampoo from her long hair. She was ecstatic when her doctor informed her she could be discharged, but when she told Eric he was livid. He had tracked her doctor down to question his competence because "she almost died, you know?!"_

_Eric… Just the thought of him made her smile. He had been wonderful. He insisted on staying at the hospital with her every second he wasn't working, and then he insisted that he take two or three days off to care for her at her home after she was discharged. She'd refused him several times, the thought of someone taking care of her making her feel uncomfortable and needy, but he'd persisted. And, if she was being honest, she'd realized his proposition meant that Eric would be with her, at her home, for two or three days straight. And _that _was a proposition that did appeal to her._

_She hadn't realized all her thinking had turned her quick shower into a quite long one, much too long for her weak lungs to keep supporting the strain of standing and moving around. A dizzy feeling swept over her body and her vision darkened for just a moment. Losing her balance, she reached out for the wall, but her hand landed in the little nook with all her beauty products. A container of body wash and a huge bottle of conditioner fell to the floor of the shower with a crash._

_Finally, she found something steady, her hand clutching the little towel hanger inside the shower. She righted herself, leaning against the wall as she took a few deep breaths to fill her lungs with oxygen again._

_She heard quick, heavy footsteps above the roar of the shower. "Calleigh?!" Eric called out, his voice in a panic. She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could formulate any words the door to the bathroom suddenly crashed open. Startled, she wrapped the yellow shower curtain around her body and peeked out from the side. Her surprised eyes met Eric's terrified ones and she stood frozen, looking very much like a deer caught in headlights._

"_Thank God," he uttered, surveying the scattered bottles at the bottom of the shower. He placed a hand on his chest, trying to calm his erratic heartbeat. "I thought you collapsed…"_

_His words immediately softened her features and she looked into his deep eyes with understanding. "No, I'm okay," she told him, smiling a little. "I just had one of my dizzy spells and knocked some stuff over…"_

"_Calleigh," he let out, his voice both admonishing and concerned. "Hurry up so you can sit down and rest again, okay?"_

_She nodded, tightening her grip on the shower curtain. With a quick, hopefully subtle glance down she made sure the uncomfortable plastic material was covering everything it should be._

_Suddenly Eric was aware of how awkward this situation truly was. He had dashed in on her shower like a madman over some shampoo bottles and currently there was only some very, very thin plastic shielding her exposed body from his eyes._

_Calleigh had to smile at the suddenly embarrassed look that now came over his features. "Um, are you okay to finish up?" he asked, diverting his eyes away from her._

"_Yeah, I'll be out in just a minute," she assured. With an amused smile she watched him leave sheepishly._

_In just a few minutes, she was slipping a light robe on over her tank top and shorts. Her wet hair cascaded over her shoulders and back, and she ran a hand through it as she made her way back downstairs._

_She found Eric in the living room on her couch, a cup of what looked like her favorite tea sitting on the table before him._

"_Hey," he said softly as his eyes fell on her. "I made you some tea…"_

_Smiling gratefully, she took a seat next to him on the couch, her legs curled up off to the side, and reached for the steaming mug. "Thank you." She blew on it lightly before lifting it to her lips, the sweet hint of honey gracing her taste buds. "How'd you know?" she asked, her surprised eyes meeting his._

"_I watch you do it all the time," he admitted, smiling a little as he thought of all the times in the lab he'd been completely engrossed by her simple actions. "I don't know." He shrugged, watching the tiny amused smile that crept across her lips._

_She was quite a vision with her fresh from the shower hair, her blue robe, and her make-up-less face. He was quickly reminded of the little shower incident and he ducked his head lightly, scratching the back of his head._

"_Look, I'm sorry about the whole shower thing," he told her, trying to ignore the tantalizing scent of whatever was emanating off her body._

"_It's fine," she assured him, laughing just a little before she turned more serious. "You thought I was…" she began, not able to follow that train of thought. "You thought something happened. I appreciate your concern."_

_She smiled again as she expressed her appreciation, but this smile didn't quite reach her eyes like usual. He'd noticed her demeanor change as soon as she'd considered the situation in which something more had happened to her. As she set the tea down to cool a bit more, she kept her eyes on it aimlessly._

"_You okay?" Eric asked, sensing her mind had gone elsewhere._

_She hesitated, as she tended to do with expressing herself, but Eric was so caring and accepting that she forced herself to take a deep breath and speak. "I just hate feeling like this," she admitted, wrapping an arm around one of her legs, her hand resting on her knee. "Weak…powerless. And it's been one thing after another…you getting shot, my kidnapping, and now this."_

"_Calleigh," Eric said softly, her name leaving his lips with so much emotion. "You're the strongest person I know," he told her truthfully, "but you're still human like the rest of us." He turned to her, placing a comforting hand over hers on her knee. "You can't control everything, but that's not a weakness."_

"_It feels like it sometimes." Her voice was wavered and she turned away, embarrassed by the tears that welled in her eyes._

"_It's okay, Cal," Eric assured, moving toward her. "You've been through a lot lately."_

"_I'm okay," she told him, all signs of tears quickly gone, but she still let him pull her into his arms. With her head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat, she let herself relax. They'd assumed this position several times in the hospital and she'd come to know it as comforting and familiar. She _had _been through a lot lately, but Eric had been there every step of the way. She sat in silence for a few minutes, letting all traces of her uneasiness dissipate as his hand soothingly traced up and down her arm._

"_Bet you're glad I don't smell like hospital now," she said after a moment, letting him know she was okay. He smiled a little, recalling the faintest traces of jasmine and vanilla that had greeted his senses even among hospital gowns and sheets._

"_I don't know how you managed it, but you still smelled amazing in there," he admitted quietly, feeling her shake her head and laugh a little against his chest. What he didn't admit was that those scents were currently ten times stronger as she sat in his arms, fresh from the shower, and it was driving him crazy._

"_Eric," she began, her hand settling over his. She pulled away just slightly to meet his eyes. "I wanted to thank you for staying with me in the hospital… It meant a lot to me." She smiled, and it was one of those soft, special smiles that managed to warm him from the inside out. Suddenly he realized how close she was; their faces were mere inches apart, her head no longer safely nestled against his chest._

"You _mean a lot to me," he told her softly, his warm palm cupping her cheek. He bent down slightly as he urged her to him, resting his forehead against hers. She smiled at the gesture, and his words, as his thumb caressed the soft skin of her cheek. She didn't realize just how nervous he was until he swallowed hard, his intense eyes giving him away. _

_Calleigh closed her eyes, enjoying his proximity and the feel of his skin on hers. His fingers traced her jaw and came to rest under her chin just moments before he tilted his head, allowing his lips to meet hers._

_He kissed her softly first, separating their lips after just a moment, the sweet taste of her lingering. Her lips tingled in the aftermath and as soon as she broke into a smile, his lips were back on hers. Though still soft, he pressed harder this time, his fingers slipping into her wet hair as he cradled the back of her neck._

_She parted her lips and just as she felt his warm tongue graze her bottom lip, he softened the kiss, pulling away to rest his forehead against hers once more. The tiny moan of protest that escaped her lips was almost enough to make him pin her down right then and there, but he simply smiled._

"_You need your oxygen right now," he explained, kissing the corner of her mouth._

"You were so gentle," she recalled, then thinking of the way his fingers and lips still traced over her body with a certain careful softness, even amidst passion. He immediately noticed the change in her eyes and the seductive smile that crept onto her lips. "Let's go to bed…"

With a mischievous smile he stood, immediately sliding one arm under her back and one underneath her knees.

"Eric, no! Put me down!" She laughed as he scooped her up in his strong arms, but she was suddenly overcome with dizziness as she seemed to fly up from the couch, across the room, and up the stairs. "Whoa," she let out, gripping onto his shoulders. "Stop for a minute."

He paused at the top of the stairs, slowly easing her feet onto the ground. She took a cautious step forward, one hand on his arm and one holding her forehead.

"Everything okay?" he asked, his brows furrowing with concern.

"Yeah." She nodded, giving him a reassuring smile. "Guess that's what I get for dating someone who is trained to carry someone twice my size through the field while dodging bullets," she joked, feeling a little better as she regained her balance. Taking his hands in hers, she began to lead him back towards the bedroom, that devilish smile back on her lips. She laughed as he took the bait, bringing their hands to her hips so he could pull her close, never missing a step. He released her hands as his settled on her hips, holding her against him as his lips sought hers. She grinned as his lips pressed against hers, continuing her walk backwards as they reached the doorway.

Despite their seductive playfulness, he remained gentle, knowing what she needed after such a day. His arms encircled her waist as they drew close to the bed, his lips just now imploring hers to part. She acquiesced, sighing as his familiar yet still exciting taste greeted her.

Her hands slid from his shoulders to the buttons on his shirt, slowly beginning to rid him of the garment button by button. Breathless, she tore her lips from his, their foreheads resting together as they both caught their breath. She eased his shirt off his shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. With a smile she slipped a hand beneath the white ribbed tank he wore, feeling his muscles contract beneath her featherlight touch.

He collected the hem of her top in his fingers, sliding it slowly up to her shoulders and then over her head. "You're beautiful," he whispered, hands returning to her skin, lips returning to her mouth.

Slowly, clothing was removed piece by piece. Loving words were whispered as he lowered her back to the bed. For a moment, she thought of love. She thought of Cassie Nichols, who would never make love to her fiancé again, and the thought made her hold onto Eric tighter. She kissed him, touched him, held him as though he could slip through her fingers at any moment.

"I'm not going anywhere," he whispered into her ear, sensing her fear. She relaxed into his touch, into his words, and suddenly felt the power of living in the moment. Because that was all that mattered. Them, here, now.

She arched her back as his hand trailed down the front of her body. "I love you," she uttered, smiling as the words came back to her ears from his lips.

Breath mingling, they made love slowly, romantically, and she realized he was right. He wasn't going anywhere. And neither was she.


	3. Vertigo

**Author's Note: **Wow, thank you so much for all the reviews! You guys make my day infinitely better with each review. I forgot to mention before that I don't have a beta…and my attention span is way too short to go back through anything and edit it once I write it, so I'm going to apologize now for any mistakes. Also, if anyone knows of any challenge/prompt groups or whatnot, please let me know! 'Cause that sounds like bunches of fun and it's gonna be a lonngggg summer after that finale…

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_Walking, stumbling on these shadowfeet_

_Toward home, a land that I've never seen_

_I am changing – less and less asleep_

_Made of different stuff than when I began_

_And I have sensed it all along_

_Fast approaching is the day_

Alexx had told them that it was a bloodbath, but her warning had done nothing to prepare Calleigh for the sight that befell her eyes as she entered the bottom level of the yacht. The back wall was covered in blood spatter and God only knew what else. She had seen worse, much worse, but for some reason the sight and smell of blood, of death, was getting to her. She tried to quell the sudden wave of nausea that stirred in the pit of her stomach, but it was useless.

As Eric and Horatio began to discuss the heinous crime, she could only cover her mouth and turn her back to the chaos. Focusing on the only spot that wasn't spattered with blood, she stared down at the floor, their voices seemingly further and further away. Her stomach churned as Eric mentioned something about medium velocity blood spatter and brain matter. It was too much for her queasy stomach.

And suddenly, on top of it all, she felt dizzy. Her camera, which she normally would've used to snap at least two dozen photos by now, hung limply at her side. She set it down on the nearest surface, needing that hand to grab the doorframe for balance.

The voices seemed closer now, and it wasn't until she felt Eric's hand on her shoulder, steadying her, that she realized he was right behind her.

"Calleigh," he called again, his voice lacking all the professionalism they usually fronted and instead dripping with intimate concern. "You okay? Need some air?"

"I'm fine." She placed a hand over her stomach, trying to keep the nausea at bay. Cautiously, she removed her hand from her mouth, hoping to breathe in a bit more fresh air and a little less death. She'd been a bit callous, she knew, and so she smiled at Eric apologetically. "My stomach is just a bit unsettled… Maybe it's the boat, or that cake we had for Natalia's birthday…"

Eric rubbed her arm soothingly as she turned toward him, his concerned eyes imploring hers. "I'm _fine_, Eric," she assured with a smile, rolling her eyes at his over protectiveness.

But his concern wasn't unwarranted, he knew. And Horatio knew, too, if the confused look in his eyes as they met Eric's was any indication. Whether Calleigh would admit it or not, the crime scene had triggered her nausea, and both men knew Calleigh _never_ got sick at a crime scene. She had one of the strongest stomachs in MDPD history. She and Eric had exchanged discreet knowing smiles many a time after watching a rookie first responder lose his breakfast at the sight of a particularly gruesome scene. Horatio could always trust Calleigh to remain calm and collected, even throughout the worst cases.

"Calleigh," Horatio began, taking a few steps toward her, "You're sick."

As she opened her mouth to protest, Horatio continued, an amused smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Are you well enough to drive?"

"Yes." She nodded once and her face, though still much paler than usual, brightened at the prospect of a task. "Do you need me to take something back to the lab already?"

"I need you to go home and rest," Horatio told her, his voice taking on that characteristically deep and gravelly tone. "Working this scene will only make you feel more sick."

Calleigh smiled appreciatively at his sympathy, but she also let out a frustrated sigh. She was determined to keep this little bout of nausea from becoming a weakness, but Horatio was her boss. If he felt she was too sick to process a scene, she wouldn't argue.

"I guess I can try to…rest," she conceded, that last word seemingly full of bitter distaste and almost foreign to her lips. Eric shook his head, a knowing smile gracing his lips. "Thanks, Horatio," she added politely as she handed her camera over to Eric, exchanging a little glance with him as she purposefully brushed her gloved fingers against his. "Let me know if you need me though." With that she was headed outside to her Hummer, leaving Eric and Horatio alone.

Horatio turned back to the scene, placing his hands on his hips. "Where do you think she's headed?"

Eric turned toward the older man, his eyebrows raising amusedly as another knowing smile curved his lips upward. "The lab," he answered without any hesitation. "I'm sure she'll join in on a project with Ryan or Natalia until Alexx recovers bullets from the victims, or until we send some back from the scene."

"Okay," Horatio let out definitively, a rare chuckle escaping him. "Why don't you go remind Calleigh what rest is before she leaves?" Though he really did want Eric to do that, he could sense Eric's concern, his need to check on his girlfriend. He knew that Calleigh was very private, and she and Eric rarely shared moments together while on the job despite Horatio's awareness of their relationship. He appreciated their professionalism, and in return he tried to grant them time together.

Fresh air had done the trick; she honestly felt better, and so she kept the door to the department-issued Hummer open to let the fresh ocean air continue to work its magic. Seated high up in the vehicle, she watched the waves crash rhythmically and let her stomach continue to settle. The crunch of footsteps on the shell-covered ground diverted her attention from the waves and she wasn't all that surprised to see Eric walking toward her.

She smiled at him before lowering her eyes to the ground. His attentiveness to her still made her a little uncomfortable at times, though she loved it. She just wasn't used to it.

"You toss your cookies yet?" Eric asked playfully as he stepped up to her door, placing a hand on the doorframe.

"Aren't you a charmer?" she teased, flashing him a characteristic smile. "But no, I've kept my cookies down, thank you very much. I think I feel a bit better."

"Good." Eric smiled, placing a hand on her knee. She looked gorgeous, her eyes the color of the ocean as they focused on his, her light hair cascading down across her cheek. "You should still go home and take it easy though…okay?" He lowered his eyes to her level, knowing this was kind of a moot point with Calleigh.

He could almost _see_ her skin crawl at the idea of taking it easy, watching as her shoulders tensed and her lips sloped downward into an adorable frown.

"I'll be fine at the lab," she assured. "I'll just keep myself busy until I get my bullets. Bullets are happy and clean and won't make me nauseous."

Eric sighed, unable to help but chuckle at her childlike pleading. "Fine, fine," he conceded. "But go home if you need to. You could be coming down with something."

"I will…if I need to." She kept her eyes on his as his fingers swept through her hair, delicately tucking it behind her ear. His palm then cupped her cheek, his fingers brushing against the soft skin of her face soothingly. She leaned into his touch, wanting more with him than a stolen moment at a bustling crime scene. Even a fair distance from the actual scene, cops still swarmed the premises and there were always wandering eyes. "Guess I'll see you back at the lab?"

"Yeah, probably not for a few hours," Eric said dejectedly. Communicating three words with only actions, he turned his hand over against her face, the backs of his knuckles now brushing softly against her cheek. She smiled in response, squeezing his free hand lightly before allowing him to go back to work.

* * *

Calleigh jumped at the chance to answer the page when it came into the lab. She knew her body was in no state to handle the sight of a dead body, let alone the results of an autopsy, but she refused to be this weak. She had seen mutilated bodies, pools and splatters of blood, and countless autopsies before. She would _not _let this strange uneasiness win. She could do this.

And so she ignored the uneasy, nauseous feeling that returned to her stomach as she entered the room that reeked of death and formaldehyde. Truthfully, the nausea hadn't really gone away; it had just turned into a dull, unsettled queasiness that had just barely allowed her to eat part of a salad for lunch.

As she pushed through the double doors, Alexx's eyes fell on her inquisitively. "Calleigh… What are you doing here?"

"Hoping for one of your miraculous, case-breaking discoveries," Calleigh replied cheerfully despite her quickly paling complexion. "What do you have for me?"

"Aren't you supposed to be home sick?" Alexx asked warily, though she grabbed her file and headed back over to the examining table.

"I had a little incident at the crime scene, but I've been fine since I got back to the lab," Calleigh explained, shrugging it off.

"Alright," Alexx let out, not quite believingly. She noted Calleigh's pale face and detected the slightest bit of dullness in Calleigh's usually bright eyes, but said nothing. "Well, this is the first victim from the yacht, Brian Meeks, forty-two years old. I searched up and down, but there isn't anything too unusual about this one…"

Alexx continued on, but Calleigh's eyes focused absently on the decaying flesh. It was all she could smell right now, along with the formaldehyde, and it was growing stronger by the second. Combined with the visual, she could barely keep her lunch down.

"The only trauma on his body is the gunshot wound to the head," Alexx said as she moved upward on his body, showing Calleigh the gunshot wound and then separating the skin and bone she'd sawed through. "He died instantly. As you can see, there's massive hemorrhaging in the brain."

_That _sight sent her over the edge. Suddenly she was rushing towards the nearest trash can and holding her hair aside as she emptied the contents of her stomach into the garbage.

Running towards her, Alexx muttered, "Geez, Calleigh, you're not okay." After tossing her gloves aside, Alexx placed a hand on Calleigh's back and swept her blonde locks away from her face. "Can I get you anything?"

Calleigh clutched her stomach, shaking her head fervently. "No, I'm okay. Really." She stood up slowly, trying to convince herself that the room wasn't spinning.

"Go home, Calleigh," Alexx insisted, placing her hands on her hips. "I'll see you on Monday."

Sighing, Calleigh finally caved, the faintest trace of a smile on her face. "See you Monday, Alexx."

* * *

Calleigh awoke at the sound of the front door opening and she shifted on the couch, stretching out her back. When Eric walked into the living room, he found her looking adorably fresh from sleep, surrounded by a mound of blankets.

"Hey," he said, a smile forming as he watched her.

"Mmm," she mumbled, smiling simply because of his presence as she wrapped her arms around a thick bundle of blanket. "Hi."

"Look at you doing the whole sick thing." He motioned toward her, the couch, and the saltines on the coffee table, amusement in his eyes and smile. "Unfortunately for Alexx's autopsy room you didn't do this sooner…"

"Hey, who told you?" She glared menacingly at him as he came around the coffee table, pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, and took a seat next to her.

"Alexx," he admitted, reaching over to brush a stray lock of hair from her eyes, subtly checking her forehead for signs of a fever. She didn't feel warm though. "She just wanted to make sure you were okay… Are you? How are you feeling now?"

"Better," she assured him, leaning into his touch and then into his body. "What's in the bag?" she asked, nodding at the canvas bag he'd set down on the table. She suspected that it was something edible, and her stomach rumbled at the prospect, finally ready for food.

"Uh, my mom made you some soup…"

"What? Really?" Her brows furrowed in disbelief, but her lips held the beginnings of a smile. "She didn't have to do that."

"You and I both know she wanted to," he told her, hugging her close as he kissed her hair. "She adores you, Cal. I mentioned you were sick when she called earlier and two hours later she's calling me telling me she's got a pot of homemade chicken soup for you that I need to pick up on the way home."

Calleigh smiled appreciatively, pulling back to meet his eyes for a moment. His mother had really taken to spoiling her. She was sure it had a little to do with the fact that all her daughters had brought men into the family, and so when Eric, her only son, brought a girl home, she fawned over Calleigh. But Calleigh was pretty positive it had more to do with Eric mentioning something to his mother about her past. After all, he did probably have to explain why he'd kept her from his family throughout the first six months of their relationship. She knew he'd respect her privacy, but she also knew he'd likely told his mother that Calleigh hadn't had a real family and so she was a little skittish. Calleigh felt it every time Clorinda hugged her just a few more moments than was necessary, every time she made a point to include her, every time she did something like make her soup…

"Geez," Calleigh exclaimed as she began to pick out the contents of the bag. Eric's mother had sent over soup in a large pyrex container that was then packed in some sort of thermal lunchbox to keep it warm. Stuck to the top was a post-it note on which she'd written, _'Espero que te sientas mejor, mi linda.'_ Calleigh smiled, her heart warming at her kind words. Clorinda had also sent over crackers, homemade bread, Gatorade, napkins, and… "A spoon?" Calleigh asked, raising a brow. "Your mom thinks of everything."

"Yeah, she's kind of amazing like that." Eric chuckled, watching Calleigh as she settled back against him, soup and spoon in hand, and ate a few spoonfuls of his mother's classic chicken and rice soup. "Good?"

"Amazing," she replied, smiling and reaching for the bread. "I'll have to call her tomorrow to thank her."

Eric simply sat with her while she ate; she stopped after a few minutes, getting too full and not wanting to force too much into her questionable stomach at the moment.

"Still feeling okay?" he asked, concern etching across his features. She simply nodded and leaned against his chest, her arm wrapping around his lower torso. "Can I get you anything?"

"No," she said softly, sighing contentedly. But as she tried to shift her back into a more comfortable position, she said, "Well maybe one thing…"

"What?"

"Lay with me?" she asked, her green eyes never looking more innocent. He simply smiled, knowing he'd never turn her down, and she tugged on his shirt as she lay back down against the pillows she'd propped against the arm of the chair. He lay next to her, facing her, and drew his fingers through her beautiful blonde hair. His fingers then trailed from her cheek to her jaw and then finally to her lips. She watched his eyes flicker down to her lips and smiled, knowing what was next. As he tilted her chin upward and moved in, she placed a hand on his shoulder, holding him back. "I don't want you to catch what I have."

"You're my girlfriend," he began, that term not even coming close to encompassing all that she meant to him. "It's inevitable." He found her hand, taking it from his shoulder and lacing their fingers together so their palms kissed. Their lips followed suit as he brought his to hers, placing the softest of kisses there. "And so worth it."

* * *

**Author's Note #2: **Just in case you wanted to know... The first part of the note Eric's mother wrote to Calleigh said "I hope you feel better." Translated, "mi linda" means "my lovely one," but it's really just a term of endearment women use with each other and their children and such. (I'm not a natural Spanish speaker, but I took five very long years of it and I've spent some time in Costa Rica.) Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it! Leave me some love if you did...or even if you didn't. I think these reviews are inspiring me to write even more.


	4. Collapse

_You want to catch your breath, you want to get out_

_But as you surface you don't really know how_

_How to live upon the solid ground_

_Sometimes it's just easier to let yourself drown_

It was a little foreign to her…waking up to harsh light in her eyes, sunlight kissing her skin, and an empty bed. She was usually awake before her alarm when the sky was still grey and pink, creating merely a soft glow in the room indicative of dawn. And Eric was pretty much always still dead asleep, his body either sprawled out or cradling hers.

She blinked a few times, acclimating herself to the bright daylight and the lonely bed. Suddenly she realized how late she must be and she searched out the digital numbers on the clock next to the bed. _9:22. _Eric was in for it.

Not bothering to slip a robe on over her silky little negligee, she padded across the plush cream carpet into the hallway. With no sign of Eric she continued downstairs, finding the house completely empty. It wasn't until she reached into the cabinet to grab a bag of herbal tea that she found the note. He knew her too well; a small piece of paper was taped to the box of tea, Eric's familiar handwriting scrawled across it.

_Good morning, Gorgeous…_

_This whole sleeping through the alarm thing is becoming a habit, huh?_

_I wanted to make sure you were okay when you woke up, but I promised Aaron and Antonio I'd be at their soccer game. Call me when you wake up._

_I love you._

She smiled, both at his sweetness and at him being such a good uncle. But since when was it Saturday? Confused, she glanced at the calendar, realizing the week really had escaped her.

"Maybe I _do _work too much," she whispered amusedly to herself as she pulled the tape from the box and set the note down on the counter. Filling the kettle full of water, she set it to boil and walked across the room to retrieve her phone from her purse.

Within a few rings his voice was greeting her on the line and she grinned, picking at the leftover bread from last night that she'd left wrapped up on the counter.

"So I'm standing in the kitchen still wearing that little black gown you love so much and I'm feeling much, much better…"

That was one hell of a greeting. Not hi, hey, or hello, but a perfect and quite arousing mental image he now couldn't get out of his mind. Long blonde hair, the contrast of black material against creamy, light skin, and lean but soft, feminine legs… She heard his sharp intake of breath and laughed softly, knowing that she had tripped him up.

"There are way too many little munchkins around me for me to properly reply to that, but uh…don't change, don't even move until I get back." He watched a blur of yellow and blue cross the field as a bunch of eight and nine year olds scurried across the grass after the ball, but his mind was now completely elsewhere.

"Well how long are you going to be?" she asked, playing coy as she bit her lip. "I don't know if I can wait around that long…"

"I'll be fast," he assured her quickly.

"Well I certainly hope not," she drawled seductively, laughing just a little.

Well, if she wanted to play it _that _way… "For that, querida, I'll go so slow you'll have to beg."

She'd been rummaging through her purse for lip balm but at his words she froze, her body suddenly aching for his lips and hands. "Hurry home," she said simply, and he knew just how much he'd affected her.

"I will," he assured, grinning. "_Don't change. _I'll see you soon…I love you."

"I love you, too." She clicked her phone off, still smiling, and made use of her now free second hand to sort through the contents of her purse. She'd just spotted her circular case of lip balm when a certain blue plastic package caught her eye. It generally wasn't of any importance during this week of the month, but today the sight of it served as a reminder. Suddenly, the weight of realization settled upon her. It was _Saturday._

Calleigh had never before felt so panicked after making sense of a situation. Hand now covering her mouth, she stared at the birth control pill package in disbelief. Frantically, she tore the calendar from the wall and began thinking back, comparing dates, matching dates up to her pack, wondering if she'd missed something… But she hadn't. She'd only let this past week fly by without a thought, without recognition. It was most definitely Saturday…and she was officially five days late.

* * *

The sound of keys clicking open her front door made her jump. She didn't know how long she'd been sitting there at the kitchen table…a few moments, minutes, hours… Her hands were stretched out before her, eyes focused aimlessly on one palm.

Eric breezed in and her eyes followed him, though she was still completely distracted.

"There you are," he let out with a smile, his eyes on her as she stood up slowly. "Hey, I thought I said don't change."

His words took a while to register in her foggy mind and she glanced down, taking in the jeans and curve-hugging black v-neck shirt she'd hastily thrown on a few hours ago. "I…" Words escaped her as her eyes hesitantly met his.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his brows furrowing as concern etched its way across his features. "Are you sick again?"

Her lips tightened into what could've almost been a smile, albeit a sad, nervous one. "I'm not sick," she told him, her words full of meaning she knew he'd miss.

"Okay…well that's good." He'd closed the distance between them now, still eyeing her with concern as his hands skirted around her waist. "I got something for you," he whispered, resting his forehead against hers for just a moment.

"Really?" She managed a small smile as he nodded at the grocery bag on the counter. Urging her over, he dipped a hand inside and emerged with a large bottle of Pinot Noir.

"I'm thinking you, me, a bottle of wine, and a movie for tonight." He grinned adorably, starting off with that crooked half smile. "What do you say?"

She bit her lip at the irony as she stared at the bottle. "That sounds good… Maybe minus the wine for me," she let out hesitantly, knowing there was no going back now.

"But it's your favorite…" He studied her eyes, noting her hesitancy and a hint of something else. Fear…?

"I know…and this is very sweet, Eric," she began, smiling softly at the gesture. "I just can't have it for a while."

"Why? For how long?" He was immediately confused, but as he compounded this information with the events of the past few days, realization dawned on him. He was a CSI; it wasn't difficult to piece together. He would've considered the possibility much, much sooner had they not been pretty much guaranteed this would not happen.

"I don't really know, but probably for about seven and a half months…" She shrugged nervously, her eyes full of apprehension as they met his again.

"Calleigh," he breathed out, his voice full of emotion. He stepped closer to her, cradling her face in his hands as he gazed down at her. "We're – you're…you're pregnant?"

Her body tensed as soon as the word left his lips, but she closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath. "Apparently."

The ghost of a smile that graced his features wasn't lost on her, but he quickly turned serious again, his brows furrowing. "Are you sure? I thought the pill was supposed to be something like ninety-eight percent effective…"

Wordlessly, she took his hand and led him upstairs. Eric soon found himself in the master bathroom, facing a sight that he knew would have terrified him not long ago under different circumstances. Four distinct brands of tests, four similar yeses.

"I don't know how this happened…" came her voice from behind him, though it didn't sound like Calleigh at all. She sounded lost, unsure. Worriedly, he turned to her and took her tiny hands into his larger ones.

"Look, I know we didn't plan this," he began, his patient, loving eyes focused on hers as his thumb stroked her fingers. "But we're together in this. We can do this, right?" He searched for something, anything in her eyes, the corners of his lips turned upward hopefully.

"You're happy," she realized with amazement, the awe in her voice. She didn't answer him. Instead, she lifted a hand to his cheek, his stubble scraping against her palm, and she marveled at his equanimity, his acceptance…his love.

Calleigh knew she shouldn't be so surprised; she'd discovered how he felt about her and all the things he wanted with her the day she'd read his file a year and a half ago. And yet it still floored her that he could be happy, that he _was _happy, about something they seemed to have no control over.

For the first time he noticed her watery, red-rimmed eyes and his face suddenly changed. "Are you?" he questioned, his brows knit together with concern.

She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came. Confusion flashed in his eyes, his nostrils flaring just slightly with frustration. Along with her silence and watering eyes came the crippling realization that she was upset by this.

"Calleigh…" The desperation in his voice implored her for an answer and she broke, releasing a shaky breath and several tears. This was too much.

"I don't know," she finally admitted honestly. There was so much to consider... She composed herself as much as she could and, avoiding the four blatant reminders on the counter, she forced herself to meet his pained eyes. "I need time..."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Please don't kill me. I hope you don't think I'm writing Calleigh as heartless and callous. I'm not; she just has some stuff to work through. I'm being realistic here because this is mid-season eight Calleigh, not some future Calleigh who is used to the idea of happily ever after and babies. :) Hope you liked it despite the angst. There has to be some conflict somewhere, right? Also, I wasn't really happy with this chapter, but it's up anyways. It's not my best writing and I'm sorry for that! Anyone want to be my beta/person to bounce ideas off of? I think that would help.


	5. Waves and the Both of Us

**Author's Note: **Sorry it took a bit longer to get this chapter up. It took me a while, partly because I went on a spontaneous road trip with my best friend from Southwest Virginia to Michigan and stayed up there for a few days (holy crap, it's flat up there!) and partly because this chapter just did not want to be written. Seriously. It told me many times. Thanks SO MUCH to **raleighlane **and **restless-mess** because this chapter would not have been possible without their help and encouragement. :) And thank you to all of you who have been leaving reviews! I really really really appreciate it.

* * *

_If I could walk on water_

_If I could tell you what's next_

_Make you believe_

_Make you forget_

She'd thought the shower might make her feel better. She didn't know why. Expectedly, it hadn't.

She still felt nauseous, terrified, and guilty as she slipped into loose yoga pants and a white tank-top. At this point she wasn't sure whether the nausea was due to the situation or the anxiety stemming from it. Maybe both.

Nervously, she padded down the stairs, finding Eric in the kitchen stirring something that should've smelled appetizing but didn't.

He turned toward her, the sight of her fresh from the shower and in too-long pants making him smile a little. "Hey," he uttered, taking a few steps to reach her. He threaded her fingers through her wet hair and pulled her close, pressing his lips to her forehead. "Feel better?"

Calleigh wasn't sure in what way he meant, but she supposed it didn't matter regardless. She simply shrugged, giving him all the answer he needed.

"Hungry?" he tried. "I'm making some chicken, but I didn't know what you'd feel like eating so I heated up soup from last night, too."

"Not really," she admitted, crossing her arms over her uncooperative stomach.

He glanced at the clock, knowing she'd probably spent most of the day in a bit of a haze. It was after three. "Have you eaten today?" he asked her, looking more concerned than he intended.

She thought back, retracing the hours, and realized she'd only broken a few small bites off that bread earlier. Brows furrowing, she met his eyes, hers immediately watering. "No." Her voice wavered and she shook her head. "I'm sorry, I'm already bad at this…" A shaky hand rose to her face, shielding her tears from him.

Eric's heart wrenched. Calleigh didn't cry. In eight years he'd seen her cry four times, all life or death matters. And he had never known her to be insecure about anything. Of all the probable issues he thought Calleigh might be considering – her unstable family, her subsequent uncertainty about having her own family, work, loss of control – insecurity had not been one of them. It was simply out of character.

"No you're not," he told her firmly as he took her into his arms, completely hugging her to his chest. She tensed at first, a defense mechanism to reject comforting, but then succumbed to his familiar, warm embrace. "You've had a pretty crazy day," he began, his palm sliding up and down her back in a motion that was distinctly soothing. "And you've had a lot on your mind. No one can fault you for not thinking about food, especially when you've been feeling sick."

They were excuses, she knew. She should've done better. She'd been so wrapped up in herself, in her own issues, that she'd forgotten to stop and realize that taking care of herself now meant taking care of someone else, too.

"You were concerned when you realized you hadn't eaten," he reminded her, gently pulling her back to meet her eyes. "That's what matters."

The notion that she cared for the tiny life inside of her made this all so real. Too real. She took a step back, removing her hand from low on her abdomen – when had that happened, anyway?

"I'm sorry, I can't," she uttered softly, effectively shutting down the conversation. And herself.

Hurt flashed in his eyes, but he quickly recovered, swallowing it down as he cleared the lump in his throat and replacing pain with patience. "Okay," he let out emotionlessly. His hands left her body, giving her the space he expected her to need. "You said you needed time."

"I do."

She'd noticed, though. She saw his hurt at being pushed away, something she knew she hadn't put him through for almost a year. But this new…development had brought back those same thoughts and fears, and with those came the same long-forgotten defense mechanisms. Only this time she knew better and cared even more.

Just as quickly as she'd pulled away she was reaching for him, taking his hand in hers and squeezing it lightly. She was silent for a moment, her eyes fixed on their hands as he turned his, weaving their fingers together. When she met his eyes he looked relieved and wonderfully vulnerable. He was amazing. Incredible, really…so open and honest and loving and patient.

"How are you so good at this?" she questioned, a small but genuine smile gracing her lips.

He had to smile a bit, too. "I'm not… But I grew up differently than you, Cal," he said with a certain understanding. "You know that. We talked everything to death in my house, always had to work everything out. My mom made sure of it."

"Still," Calleigh began, collecting her thoughts. "You're good at _all_ of this," she emphasized, and this time he knew she meant the pregnancy, too. He had taken it all in with a certain calmness and patience that absolutely astounded her. Kids – and lots of them, too – had always been in his plans, and she knew that. She also knew that that fact definitely helped him deal with this situation more than her uncertainty over children had. But he'd still coped with the unplanned nature of it, the loss of control of it all, so well. She knew that he'd imagined doing things "the right way." He wanted to put a ring on her finger, watch her walk down the aisle, spend a glorious year or so together as newlyweds, and _then_ bring a few children into the world. But he'd taken the surprise in stride, smiling a little at the positive tests littering the bathroom counter. And if that hadn't amazed her enough, he'd put his own joy aside for her sake. At a time when he'd surely wanted to smother her with kisses and call his mother he'd settled for simply comforting her and trying to take care of her, which he was also good at.

"Thank you," she whispered as her hands moved to his sides, "for being so amazing."

Eric shook his head, telling her, "You don't have to thank me for anything."

She smiled as he cradled her face in his hands, wishing she could be happier about this all for him. "I'm sorry," she said as he lowered his forehead to hers.

"For what?"

"I know this isn't how you imagined it…" She closed her eyes, swallowing hard.

"It's okay," he whispered in a soft, soothing voice. He lifted his head momentarily to press his lips to her forehead and then returned, his nose brushing hers. Stroking her still damp hair gently, he looked into her eyes. "It's who I imagined it with."

Her eyes watered again and he brought his lips to hers, kissing her softly but deeply. "Take your time," he mumbled against her lips. "And know that you can talk to me about anything."

Calleigh nodded, silently promising herself that she would – good or bad. They stood there, holding each other in the middle of the kitchen, until the shrill oven timer pulled them from their reverie.

"That's the chicken," he said softly, kissing her once more before tending to the food.

As the timer cut off, Calleigh reached up into the cabinet, removing a plate for him and a bowl for her. "I'm going to try some soup," she said, then moving towards the refrigerator. "Can I have some of your orange juice?"

"Yeah, of course," he answered, trying to keep the surprise and awe out of his voice. Practically living with Calleigh had taught him that she hated orange juice. His Basic Biological Concepts class in college had taught him that folic acid was important in early pregnancy. His sisters had made a point of loading up on orange juice every day while pregnant, per their doctors' recommendation. He knew that Calleigh knew, considering her science background and the fact that their job required them to know a little bit of everything. If he had any doubt, he could be assured that Calleigh would never touch the stuff otherwise. He'd served orange juice one of the first times he'd made her breakfast; she'd sipped it dutifully, but hadn't been able to hide the adorable sour face the aftertaste brought on.

He handed her a bowl of soup and they settled in at the table together. He wasn't going to breach the topic again until she did, but, remembering her insecurity from just moments ago, he thought it might be okay. "You know, you're kinda good at this, too," he told her, his voice full of meaning.

She paused from dragging her spoon through her soup and looked up at him curiously. He nodded towards her glass and smiled knowingly.

Calleigh simply smiled a little and shrugged.

* * *

It was a lazy Sunday – hot for January, even for Miami, but with a slight breeze indicative of the true month. Calleigh and Eric were at the Delko house for the weekly family gathering his mother informally hosted. Sometimes it was just Eric and Calleigh, his siblings, and their children, but other times there were aunts, uncles, cousins, and other relatives. Today had been a quieter day, though, and while Eric, his nephews and nieces, and his brothers-in-law kicked a soccer ball around out back in the mild weather Calleigh remained inside with Eric's mother, his sisters, and two of his nieces.

Eric hadn't expected her to be in the mood for anything family-related, but she'd been fine – happy, even – about going. He suspected that, in the midst of thoughts and fears about her own family, she was looking for some semblance of reassurance in his own close-knit family.

Currently, she was rolling balls of coconut, brown sugar, and vanilla for coquitos with the help of Eric's nieces. Clorinda watched on with a smile as Isabel, her youngest grandchild, held up a lopsided ball of coconut for Calleigh's approval. Calleigh smiled and let out an enthusiastic "good job!" as she helped the four-year-old place it on the cookie sheet. Adriana, the eleven-year-old, had long ago abandoned her job of drizzling syrup over the coconut balls on the cookie sheet and was now running her fingers through Calleigh's long blonde hair. Clorinda shook her head, still smiling. The girls had adored Calleigh from the moment they'd met her; Adriana, the girliest of all the granddaughters, was always obsessed with Calleigh's hair, clothing, and make-up. And so Clorinda was used to Calleigh spending time with the girls, but something was different today. Something she couldn't put her finger on. Calleigh was engaged with the girls and having fun, but she kept glancing distractedly out the back door at Eric as he interacted with his nephews and other nieces. She smiled sometimes, but other times she looked more guilty…or sad. Clorinda wasn't sure.

Adriana toyed with the ends of Calleigh's hair, pursing her lips curiously. "Can you make my hair straight like yours?" she asked Calleigh.

Calleigh turned smiled at her, noting the beautiful natural curl to the ends of Adriana's hair. "I don't know why you'd want to ruin those gorgeous curls, but sure," Calleigh replied. "I would need a flat iron though."

"Those straightener things? I think there's one upstairs!"

"Let's make sure your mom and abuela don't mind," Calleigh said, and before she could even stand up Adriana had run to the other side of the kitchen to her mother and grandmother. Calleigh went to follow her, but found a tiny hand grasping hers as she began to walk away. "You want to come with us?" Calleigh asked, squatting to lower herself to the little girl's height. Isabel simply nodded with a big smile on her face and Calleigh led her across the room.

"She said it's okay!" Adriana said enthusiastically, already heading for the stairs.

"You're sure you don't mind?" Calleigh asked Christina, Eric's eldest sister.

"I'm positive," Christina assured, touching Calleigh's arm reassuringly. "It'll keep them entertained for a while and that's a blessing. Don't feel like you have to entertain them all day, though…they're a handful."

"They're no trouble," Calleigh told her honestly, smiling genuinely. "I'm having fun. It's nice to get to be around kids."

Calleigh spent the next half hour in one of the guest rooms with the girls, carefully running a flat iron through Adriana's long hair. She curled the ends in just slightly to match her own hairstyle and ran a brush through the now straight hair. Adriana grinned excitedly as she looked at her hair in the mirror and ran her fingers through it, then thanked Calleigh as she gave her a quick hug.

Isabel, having patiently waited and watched from across the bed, crawled over to Calleigh shyly. "Trenzas?" she asked, handing Calleigh two hair bands.

Calleigh smiled. "Con mucho gusto."

Downstairs, Eric peeked into the kitchen, finding the coquitos long abandoned. His mother, Amelia, and Christina were at the stove, stirring something that smelled nothing short of amazing.

"Where did Calleigh go?" he asked. Clorinda studied his eyes, picking up on a sadness that almost matched Calleigh's.

"She's upstairs with the girls," Christina said, a knowing smile gracing her lips.

Eric climbed the stairs, following the sound of laughter until he reached a sight he was completely and utterly unprepared for.

For some reason he'd always pictured Calleigh with sons. It wasn't that he only wanted boys. Far from it, actually. It was just that whenever he'd let himself imagine Calleigh with children, he'd pictured her with boys. She was definitely feminine, and very much so, but her tough exterior and extensive knowledge of guns, along with her affinity for playing sports, just made her seem like a "boy mom." But the sight of her sitting behind his youngest niece, all three of them laughing about something as she delicately weaved strands of caramel hair into French braids, hit him hard and knocked the wind out of him. She was barefoot and in a short-sleeved navy blue dress that probably wouldn't fit her for long if everything went smoothly. She looked so perfect, so natural, as she expertly swept Isabel's hair into braids and leaned forward, whispering something into the little girl's ear that made her giggle. His heart swelled at the vision before him, and suddenly, in addition to toy cars and baseball, he was seeing dresses, ribbons, and dance rehearsals in their future.

Sensing the heat of his gaze, Calleigh lifted her eyes and was unsurprised to find him there watching her. The intensity of his eyes, however, threw her for a loop, and it didn't take her long to realize why he was looking at her with such awe. In the past, each time he'd been around her while she'd interacted with children he'd watched her with an excited curiosity, but it was nothing like this. No, this made her feel exposed and anxious, partly because of _why_ he was looking at her that way and partly because in some aspect his adoring gaze made her feel warm and almost…happy.

"Tio Eric!" Adriana called out, suddenly spotting him in the doorway and running towards him, effectively bringing him out of his trance. "Calleigh did my hair!"

"Wow," Eric let out, emphatically taking her by the hand and twirling her around. "Very pretty."

"Do you think Mama will let me wear make-up? Calleigh said she'd do it if Mama said yes."

Eric chuckled at her hopefulness, knowing his sister, and shot Calleigh an amused look. Calleigh matched his look and raised a brow, shrugging, then fixed her eyes back on Isabel's braids.

"Good luck with that one," Eric said, resting his hand atop Adriana's head. "Last time we went through this it was, what…no make-up until you're twenty?"

Adriana rolled her eyes, clearly ready for her teenage years.

Calleigh twisted the second band into Isabel's hair and admired her handiwork. "All done," she announced.

Isabel touched the back of her head, running her tiny hands over the long braids. She turned, grinning her thanks, and took Calleigh's hand for help as she hopped off the bed to follow her cousin downstairs.

Now alone, Calleigh felt the atmosphere in the room change. She shifted uneasily, feeling his eyes on her again, and finally stood up.

"Ana's going to be trouble in a few years," she noted, smiling a little.

"She's already trouble." He took a few steps toward her, taking her hands in his and gently pulling her a bit closer to him. "Calleigh," he let out softly, and she felt that same anxiety enter her again. He knew it was wrong…he felt her body tense, but he was filled with an overwhelming urge to say something. "You're really good with them." He rested his forehead against hers, gazing into her green eyes.

"Eric…" she warned, anguish in her voice. She closed her eyes tightly.

"I know," he whispered, eyes still on her.

"I'm sorry."

"I know," he repeated. And he did know. But this time he didn't reassure her, he didn't say it was okay…because it wasn't. He wanted to tell her what an incredible mother she'd make. He wanted to kiss her belly and talk about doctor's appointments and argue playfully about names.

But he couldn't do any of those things because Calleigh couldn't, or _wouldn't_, acknowledge that there was a tiny baby growing inside of her who was half her and half him. And, more importantly, she wouldn't acknowledge that some part of her, however small or large, wanted all of the things that Eric wanted, too.


	6. City of Black & White

**Note: **Thanks for the reviews from last time! I appreciate them so so much. They make me want to write even more! Thanks again to **raleighlane** and **restless-mess **for giving me great input and advice. Just a few things about this chapter… I haven't seen every episode in Miami history, so forgive me if something is incorrect about her family life. I know in some of the Calleigh character bios floating around it is mentioned that Calleigh has brothers, but in the first thing I ever read (which, admittedly, might have been Wikipedia) it said she had a sister named Anna…and for some reason that really stuck with me. I just feel like if she had brothers she'd be used to the whole being looked out for thing and she probably would be much different than she is.

Anyways, I hope you like it! I am house sitting for my parents until Tuesday so I'm stuck in the middle of nowhere, which means: my car is now covered in tree sap, I'm being forced to deal with my spider phobia, I have two pages of instructions on how to water plants, and I have lots of time for writing. You all only care about one of those… If you yell at me enough I may write more very quickly!

_There's so much I would give you_

_If I'd only let myself_

_There's this well of emotions_

_I feel I must protect_

_But what's the point of this armor_

_If it keeps the love away, too?_

Calleigh had loved the moon as a child. It was always there – beautiful, changing systematically – and yet everyone always overlooked it. An unstable childhood had taught her to cling onto anything dependable, though, and so she'd obsessed over it. She'd checked out astronomy books, memorized the phases – new, waxing and waning crescents and gibbouses, the quarters, and full – and tracked them in a notebook. The night sky became her constant. When she was nine, she and her sister had walked home from dance class to find an empty, locked house. Anna fell asleep on the porch swing, but Calleigh had lain in the grass all night, repeating moon phases and corresponding dates for the next month in quiet whispers as she looked up at the sky. Her mother returned home, drunk and stumbling, at five in the morning. The following night, she'd watched from her bedroom window as the moon remained low in the sky, turning large and orange as the night wore on. She was confused, and tears rolled down her cheeks as she searched frantically through her books for an answer. It was then that she had realized she couldn't count on anything in her life. Not even the moon.

Ever since, she had kept everyone an arm's length away; it wasn't a conscious decision, but a way of life ingrained into her after years and years of parental neglect. And time after time, it had proven to be an effective form of protection. Her father. Friends. Her mother. Boys in high school and then college. Jake. Hagen. Peter. Jake again. She had been hurt by them all, but not deeply so, because she'd never let them in that far. She had cut her losses and moved on.

But with Eric it was different, Calleigh realized as she shifted in the chaise lounge chair on her back patio, the moon bright above her. She still had the same fears and reservations, but with Eric it was hurting more and more to _not _let him in. That thought was frightening. Terrifying, if she was being honest.

She had let him in much further than she had anyone else in her life, but she still held back a lot. There were thoughts she didn't voice, things he didn't know, and fears he wasn't aware of. But letting him in further was terrifying because it gave him the power to hurt her. She knew that he would never intentionally do so, but the world was full of people committing terrible acts with the best of intentions. That was one of the many things that scared her about having children. Her parents had been young and in love, full of the best intentions, and it had ended up in disaster.

And what about the things that were completely out of their control? What if something happened on the job? She couldn't go there, not even now. How would she feel if she let those metaphorical walls come tumbling down, allowed him further into her heart and mind, and then he was ripped right out of her life like everyone else had been? She didn't know if she would make it.

But Eric made her want to get over everything. He made her want the family life she'd dreamed of but never before allowed herself to want.

Shivering slightly in the breeze, she drew her sweater tighter around her body. She was afraid that she was too affected, too damaged, to become a wife or a mother. She hadn't had any example of what a family was supposed to be like. Instead of warm and nurturing, she was guarded and closed off.

The sound of footsteps pulled her from her thoughts and she lifted her gaze, finding Eric walking towards her, blanket in hand. They'd been quiet and withdrawn ever since the incident at his mother's house. Even Eric, with his seemingly never-ending patience, had a breaking point; he was frustrated, and justifiably so. She wasn't letting him in, she wasn't explaining herself. He knew scattered details – that her family hadn't been very familylike, that her mother had been more interested in friendship than motherhood, that her father was-slash-is an alcoholic, and that she and her sister had both been deeply affected but in drastically different ways. But those details were only small glimpses of the whole picture, minute clues as to why love, commitment, and happiness called forth a fight-or-flight response within her.

"It's getting kinda cold out here," he noted. "I thought you might need this."

She nodded, arms still hugging her sweater around her torso, and smiled softly as he draped the blanket over her as though she were a child. He then noticed her book on the ground – long forgotten, bookmark in place – and took in the distant, pensive glint in her eyes.

"Everything okay?" he asked, immediately sensing her mood.

"Just thinking…" She'd evaded his question, but it was better than saying she was okay when she wasn't. Biting at the inside of her cheek, she steeled herself for that familiar battle of emotions. She desperately wanted to tell him so much, but each time she reached the steep edge of that vulnerability it was like some inevitable, unforeseen force kept her from going over. The words just wouldn't come and instead she was always left with a tight ball of anxiety that crushed her chest with such pressure that she almost couldn't breathe.

Looking up at him, she met his gaze, her eyes vulnerable and open for once. "Will you sit with me?"

His face was in the shadows due to the glare of the porch light behind him, but she could detect the change in his eyes from confused and concerned to soft and inviting.

"Of course," he uttered, and she was already scooting forward to make room for him behind her. He settled in against the back of the chair and wrapped his strong arms around her waist as she repositioned herself closer to him. Sighing, she leaned into his touch and lay curled up against his chest on her side, listening to his rhythmic heartbeat. The cadence lulled her further into a state of relaxation, calming her bustling nerves. She remained silent for a while longer, simply soaking up the comfort of his presence, and he waited for her patiently.

"I love kids, Eric," she eventually began, and he could hear the smile in her voice. "You know that. I want them, I just…never thought I would have my own."

He'd heard this before, months and months ago, but at the time he hadn't wanted to press her for more because she'd seemed satisfied with leaving it at that. Now, though, the tone of her voice was different. Her entire mood was different. And so, as he rested his head against hers for a moment and kissed her hair reassuringly, he asked, "Why not?"

Calleigh hesitated briefly, but only to find the right words. "I don't know how to be a…" She paused, her lips frozen in the position to make the "m" sound, and she shook her head, still uncomfortable with the word. "I'm not soft or nurturing or warm. I never had any example of how a family should be. My family wasn't like that."

She turned slightly so her back now rested against his chest, fitting perfectly between his legs and in his arms. It was warm under the blanket with him now, his heat radiating to her own body. Eric sighed and held her close; he was debating whether or not to ask her just what her family _was_ like, but he didn't have to.

"There were some good times…or maybe I was just too young to understand. I don't know," she admitted wistfully, resting her hands over his on her stomach. "But my dad always wanted a boy, I think, and he kind of gave up when Anna came out just like my mom. She was all spitfire Southern girl; she loved pink and she hated getting dirty. And then I came along… I would come home in torn dresses from wrestling with the boys. I had to beg my dad to take me shooting," she recalled with a smile. "He didn't want to at first, but after a while he was so proud of me. I was eight and hitting all the targets at the range."

"Sounds about right," Eric interjected, smiling a little.

"Charlene – sorry, my mom wanted us to call her by her name – lived in this fantasy world where she was still this high-class debutante. Sometimes it was fun because she always had these crazy ideas, but that made reality hit harder. Between her lifestyle and my dad's drinking, they wasted so much money…and then they'd fight. First it was about money, and then it was about everything. My dad was always drunk and a lot of times my mom was, too, so it got pretty out of control sometimes."

Calleigh had to stop there as a rush of memories and images ambushed her. She looked down, distractedly and nervously playing with her fingers. Instinctively, his arms tightened around her, holding her close.

"Your mom drank, too?" He hadn't known that.

Just as she'd been about to get lost in anxiety, his soft, reassuring voice gave her comfort and direction.

"Yeah," Calleigh answered honestly, then realized there was a slight difference she should clarify. "Well, my dad is an alcoholic. My mom is just…I don't know. She's a social drinker, I guess."

"And she was social a lot?" he guessed.

"Yeah." A sigh escaped her as she remembered the many nights she'd spent alone, she and her sister left to fend for themselves. Calleigh didn't know if that was worse than the chaos or better. She almost wanted to stop – stop reliving this, stop exposing her past – but she wanted him to know. He needed to know in order to truly understand her, and she knew she had already surprised both herself and him by saying this much. She bit her lip and then took a deep breath. "She was caught up in her own pain and upset that my dad was out drinking and having affairs, doing whatever he wanted, and I guess she wanted to do the same. I'm sure she knew better, but she would run off to drown out her pain however she could…usually with alcohol and men. It didn't happen every day like it did with my dad, but it was enough. She was more interested in having fun and forgetting than being a mother. And when she was around she treated us more like girlfriends than daughters."

"She missed out," Eric said assuredly. It was the first time anyone had ever told her that.

"So did I," she said softly under her breath, and then immediately wished she hadn't. She felt weak, open.

"Yeah, you did," he agreed quietly. Coming forward a little, he hugged her and pressed his lips to her temple. "I wish it had been different for you." His voice was soft, deep and sincere.

She closed her eyes and leaned into him, for once allowing herself to feel the connection and warmth that such emotional intimacy brought. Turning towards him slightly, she felt his lips graze her forehead delicately.

"Calleigh," he began softly, his fingers trailing over the back of her hand. "Did they ever physically hurt you?"

She pressed her lips together, rolling them slightly as she forcefully weakened her defenses, calmed her nerves, and searched for the words. "Only a few times," she whispered, and it broke his heart. She could feel him tense and pull her even closer. "It wasn't bad. I mean, they weren't abusive; it was just the alcohol."

"But you probably didn't know the difference as a child," Eric pointed out. It was simpler in retrospect; her parents were decent people, but enough alcohol and pain could fuel uncharacteristic violence in lots of decent people. But Eric knew, and Calleigh remembered, that a child only saw a violent parent, not the reasons and excuses behind the actions.

"No, I guess not," she admitted, threading her fingers through his and taking a deep breath. "I'm okay now though, and it really wasn't all bad. My dad wasn't drinking until I was seven or so. Then there were good times when he was really trying to stop… Even throughout the bad times he'd still take me shooting and sometimes he came to my softball games, and my mom was all about putting us in beauty pageants. She was also really proud of us taking dance like she used to."

Despite their heavy conversation, Eric had to smile a little. He could practically picture her as a child – dance leotards and tiaras on weeknights, rifles and softballs on the weekends. He was glad that she'd at least had that. "It's good that you had that," he began, "even if everything else was kind of a mess."

She sighed deeply, squeezing his hand gently in appreciation. Anyone else might have asked questions, pressed her further, but Eric simply listened, understood, and accepted.

"You know you're nothing like them, right?" he questioned, hoping that wasn't one of her fears.

"I don't know," she said honestly. Despite fears when she was younger that she'd have some of the same habits, she'd realized early on that she was drastically different from the rest of her family. She was controlled and calculated…sometimes to a fault. Her way of dealing with pain had been to bottle it up, not to drown it in one. "I'm not sure it even matters though… I'm still affected by it. I'm closed off, distrustful, used to not depending on anyone…cold."

"You're not that way with me," he noted, smoothing his thumb over their joined fingers emphatically. She was more relaxed now, her body flush against his, her head resting back against his chest. "You're open, affectionate… and kinda cuddly actually, gentle, warm, loving…I could go on."

She smiled softly, but shook her head. "That's different."

"I don't think so," he challenged, toying with her fingers delicately. She tilted her head back, eyes flickering to his, and watched the faintest smile grace his lips. "You're the same way with my nieces and nephews." He hesitated briefly as he wrapped his arms back around her waist. "I think you'll be an amazing mother," he told her softly, and she marveled at his ability to speak in wills and not woulds. "Protective," he whispered, lips brushing against the back of her cheek. "Loving…patient…encouraging…responsible…" he continued, punctuating each word with another kiss, creating a trail down to the base of her throat. The kisses were far from playful or seductive after such a deep, revealing conversation; his lips were gracing her skin simply in a slow, loving manner.

Calleigh smiled at the gesture and his words, but was still unconvinced. "I don't know…" she admitted. She had never imagined herself like that. "My family was a mess." Though she did know that she was nothing like her parents – she never turned to a substance to cope, she never lost her temper, she put others' needs ahead of her own – she was still afraid. There were still a million and one ways to break up a family, to hurt someone. "And I know I'm not _like _my parents, but I'm afraid my family would end up the same way… Broken. Unhappy." Eyes cast downward, she shook her head. "Anna and I once promised each other it would end with us."

They were probably young and hurting, but the fact that Calleigh and her sister had been so deeply affected by their family that they promised each other to never have children hit him hard. Deep down he knew, though, that Calleigh didn't truly want to settle for that life. He saw it in her eyes whenever she was around kids – that want, that _need_ to have her own and undo everything she'd been through as a child. "You can still keep that promise," Eric assured her, "by having a _good_ family."

"Maybe," she said softly, and he knew she still wasn't sure. She took a deep breath to steady herself and released it shakily. "I'm scared of messing up, and that I won't be good at this."

"I don't think you have to worry about that." He sounded so convinced she almost believed him. Almost.

"Part of me wants children _so _much because I want to give them everything I never had and more," she admitted, looking up to find understanding and happiness in his eyes. "But there's also that fear."

"That determination is only going to make you an even more incredible mother, Cal," he assured her, relief warming him as she smiled. "And we can work through the fear. You just have to keep talking to me."

"I will," she promised. Turning in his arms, she draped her legs over his thigh, letting them hang off the side of the chair. She leaned back into his chest and he held her against him, reveling in the closeness after a few days of tension. Her gentle hand slid over the back of his neck with enough pressure to be relaxing, eventually moving to the back of his head, fingertips grazing over his buzzed hair. He closed his eyes and she watched with a smile, applying more pressure as her thumb and forefinger slid to opposite sides of the back of his neck, massaging his muscles.

"Eric?" she called out softly after a moment. He smiled at the hint of playfulness in her voice.

"Yeah?"

"Just FYI…if you tell anyone I'm cuddly I may have to shoot you."

He laughed softly, opening his eyes to find her grinning playfully at him. "Your secret is safe with me," he said, his voice going low as he leaned down, capturing her lips with his.

It would take more than a conversation to ease all her fears, but she felt better, lighter and reassured. With one last glance at the night sky, she buried her face in the crook of his neck, inhaling the familiar scent of cologne and Eric.

She didn't really need the moon anymore. He was her constant now.


	7. Somewhere In Between

**Note: **I forgot to mention before – I know Alexx is long gone, but I refuse to accept this, so she's in my story.

* * *

_The broken locks were a warning_

_You got inside my head_

_I tried my best to be guarded_

_I'm an open book instead_

_And I still see your reflection_

_Inside of my eyes_

_That are looking for purpose_

_They're still looking for life_

_Please don't throw up. Please don't throw up. Please. Do _not _throw up._

That had become Calleigh's new mantra as of late, but she was pleading especially hard with herself as she walked down the hallway toward the autopsy room. After last week's stint, she really didn't want to find herself heaving into Alexx's trashcan again. She'd managed to avoid autopsies for two days to give herself a breather and she'd only actually thrown up three of the past six days, so maybe, hopefully, this would go smoothly.

With one more "please" muttered under her breath, she breezed through the double doors and into the dark, musty room.

"Calleigh!" Alexx called out happily. "Baby, where have you been? Are you feeling better?"

"I think I have the flu so it's been kind of touch-and-go," Calleigh told her, immediately feeling guilty for lying. "I've been trying to avoid throwing up in your trashcan again."

Alexx laughed lightly but then shook her head, giving Calleigh a look. "You should be at home in bed."

Calleigh smiled knowingly at Alexx's mothering. "Unfortunately, people don't stop killing each other when I get sick," Calleigh quipped, then turning her attention to the victim on Alexx's table. Her stomach churned at the smell, but she forced herself to stay in control of her body's reaction. "Whatcha got for me?"

"Multiple stab wounds to the stomach and chest, and that's putting it lightly." Alexx looked up for a moment, meeting Calleigh's eyes and raising a brow. "I counted nineteen wounds."

"Sounds personal," Calleigh determined, receiving an agreeable nod from Alexx.

"They're all deep, too. No sign of hesitance. I'll have a better idea what kind of knife did this with a little more work."

"Sounds good," Calleigh said, nodding appreciatively. "I'll check back with you in a little bit."

"I've got one more thing for you," Alexx said, snapping her gloves off and walking over to a counter.

"What?"

"Vomit."

And here she'd been hoping vomit _wouldn't_ make an appearance in her day. Alexx reached for a jar and walked back over, placing it in Calleigh's hand. She didn't dare look at it.

"You sure know how to make a girl's day," Calleigh said, her southern accent wrapped around every word. She laughed a little. "Is it the victim's?" she asked, brows furrowing in confusion.

"Not unless you can throw up on your own back," Alexx replied, smirking a little. "I'm thinking it could link you to your killer, or at least whoever dumped the body in the Glades."

"Great, I'll have Valera work her magic on it," Calleigh said, smiling appreciatively. Her thoughts went elsewhere as Alexx grabbed a bottle and began dousing something in a chemical that smelled quite volatile. Calleigh hesitated, seeing the hazard sign on the side of the bottle, and bit her lip. Some instinct within her told her to get out of that room as fast as possible, but there were only more of those bottles upstairs, more things she'd need to avoid. She suddenly realized that Alexx was a wealth of knowledge, both as a doctor and as a mother, and for a moment Calleigh considered letting her guard down, if only to get some safety information.

Alexx looked up to find Calleigh still standing in the same place, eyes glued absentmindedly on the counter. She was staring down the row of chemicals, seemingly turning something over in her mind, and Alexx smiled a little. "Something else you need?"

"No," Calleigh said, albeit not quite believingly, as she snapped out of her daze. "Thanks," she said, motioning to the jar in her hands. "I'll be back down later." She headed for the doors, but stopped abruptly, let out a deep breath, and turned back around. "Actually… Alexx, may I ask you something?"

"Of course," Alexx responded, smiling as she finished up what she was doing and put everything back in its rightful place.

"Were you working here when you had Jaimie and Brian?" Calleigh set the jar down on a nearby counter and pulled up a stool, resting for a moment after running around all morning.

The question honestly surprised Alexx, but she tried not to show it; she knew Calleigh didn't get personal very often. "Yeah, I was fresh out of my residency," she told her, not yet putting two and two together.

Calleigh smiled, looking down at her hands anxiously before lifting her eyes back to Alexx's. "Were there things you had to avoid?" she asked, eyes drifting pointedly toward the row of chemicals on the back of the counter.

Understanding suddenly flashed in Alexx's eyes and Calleigh smiled nervously, looking away.

"Calleigh," Alexx began with a certain softness, but Calleigh looked uneasy and slowly shook her head. She wasn't quite ready for this – for people to know, for the touching and hugging and congratulations. She still needed some time.

Knowing Calleigh, Alexx immediately understood and redirected her attention to searching for a pad of paper. "You'll need to talk to someone up in the lab soon, but I can get you started," she said, beginning to write a few things down. "I'll have a list for you when you come back."

"Thank you." Calleigh smiled in appreciation, letting out a deep breath she wasn't even aware she was holding in. "I'm going to look into the victim's personal life and see who might have had motive for this while Valera runs the sample," she said, returning the focus to the case as Alexx had expected her to.

Calleigh was halfway to the door when Alexx called out after her, making her pause and turn on her heel.

"Sure is a lucky kid," she said, smiling proudly.

Calleigh pressed her lips together, letting the compliment sink in before she finally smiled.

* * *

The elevator doors slid apart, revealing the bustling lobby of the Miami Dade Crime Lab. Eric stepped off the platform and into the chaos, immediately beginning to scan the premises for a certain familiar blonde. He'd been processing a complicated scene with Wolfe all day and he wanted nothing more than to check on Calleigh, especially since her morning sickness seemed to come in the afternoons.

On the way down the long hallway he saw Natalia walking towards him, file in hand, her steps loud and hurried.

"Hey!" she exclaimed upon seeing him. "How's the Dodson case?"

Eric groaned, running a hand over his head. "It's a mess. I swear the entire house is the crime scene. There's blood everywhere…we're still putting a sequence of events together." Natalia frowned sympathetically and Eric sighed, scanning the hallway again with a hint of concern. "Have you seen Calleigh?"

Natalia tried not to smile, but she was vaguely aware of the pull at the corners of her lips. If she needed any more confirmation of her suspicions, she'd just found it. Eric and Calleigh were nothing but professional on the job; they only asked after one another if they were working the same case. "Yeah, she, um… I think she's sick again," Natalia said, gauging Eric's reaction. He wasn't surprised in the slightest. "She didn't really say so and I asked if I could get her anything, but she said she was fine. That's Calleigh for you though." Natalia shrugged, smiling a little.

"Yeah, she's had the flu but she keeps trying to work through it," Eric lied, smiling a little at Calleigh's stubbornness.

"Right, the flu," Natalia said, her eyes sparkling playfully. She smiled, watching Eric as he seemingly tried to gauge _her_ reaction now. He knew that she knew now, and this was a bridge he was not supposed to cross yet.

"I'm gonna go check on her," he said with the faintest trace of a smile, already walking away.

Natalia placed a hand on her hip, still smiling as she looked off to the side and shook her head. "The stomach flu doesn't last a week, Eric," she called out after him, turning around. "And it doesn't come every afternoon like clockwork either," she mumbled under her breath, eyes still alight with amusement.

Eric kept his eyes forward, shaking his head and laughing a little as he walked towards the locker room. After making a pit stop in the break room for a cup of water, he pushed through the doors of the locker room and quickly checked for other employees.

"Cal?" he called out softly as he walked over to the stalls. The doors were all open save for the second stall from the right.

She'd been leaning against the side of the stall for support, but at the sound of his voice she straightened up. "You're back," she uttered softly, pressing her hand to the door. He waited for the door to open, but it didn't.

"How are you doing?"

"Still nauseous," she said, placing a hand over her uncooperative stomach.

"Here, let me in with you," he said, wanting nothing more than to wrap her in his arms and hold her hair back if need be.

"No," she insisted. "I may throw up again."

"And you think I'd mind because…?"

"I would," she told him, sniffling her suddenly runny nose. God she hated throwing up. "I'm all gross right now."

"Come on, Cal," he urged, stepping closer and leaning against the frame. "I'm coming in whether you let me in or not, so unless you want me crawling on this floor to get under…"

Calleigh bit her lip. She had never been one to let people take care of her and see her at her weakest, but the comfort of Eric's arms was appealing. Plus, if there was one thing she would never underestimate it was his determination to take care of her. And God only knew what was on that floor…

He heard the lock click and smiled, gently pushing the door open. As his eyes settled on her, he realized she was far from "gross." Beautiful was more like it. Even with her face pale but flushed at the cheeks, her hair hastily pulled back, and her eyes red-rimmed from getting sick, she was still absolutely stunning.

"Hey," he whispered, cradling the side of her face with his free hand.

"Hi," she said almost shyly, smiling as his warm lips landed on her clammy forehead. He offered her the water and she took it gratefully, drinking a sip to wash away the disgusting aftertaste in her mouth.

"How are you?" he asked again, and this time she knew he meant more than just physically. He was looking into her eyes, trying to read her, and she knew this was the one person an "I'm fine" would not work with.

Sniffling again, she told him, "I can't do my job like this. I have people to question, a million samples to run, five guns to test fire…"

"I don't want you to worry about that," he uttered, setting the cup on a ledge and resting his hands on her sides. She sighed, eyes questioning his. "I'll help you out."

"I can't ask you to do that," she said immediately, shaking her head. "Then you'd just get backed up, too, and it wouldn't look good for you to be picking up my slack."

"Well, you're not asking," he pointed out, wearing one of those smiles that could still make her weak. She rolled her eyes slightly, knowing this was a battle she would most certainly lose. "Is it safe to come out of here yet?"

"I think so," she conceded, placing a hand on her upper stomach as she gauged the threat level. Feeling a little better, she opened the stall door and let Eric squeeze by before following him out.

"Take a break for as long as you need," Eric insisted, taking her hand in his. With her free hand she pulled the band out of her hair, easily returning to the picture of togetherness though her eyes were still a little red.

Thinking of the list in her back pocket, she bit her lip, realizing that this was just the first of many times she wouldn't be able to do her job properly. "I know I said I wanted to wait to tell Horatio," she began, eyes lifting to his, "but I think we need to say something soon." That idea was absolutely terrifying. She couldn't even acknowledge what was truly going on to herself; how could she tell other people? Reaching behind her, she fished the piece of paper out of her pocket and handed it to him. "That's everything Alexx found that I should avoid," she explained as his eyes scanned over the lengthy list. "She thinks working firearms may not even be safe."

"Why not?" His brows furrowed in concern. He'd been certain there would be many things she'd need to avoid both in the lab and in the field, but he hadn't expected ballistics to be one of them. It was her haven; he couldn't imagine her giving it up.

"Lead poisoning and sound trauma." She shrugged, eyes cast downward. This was just another burden on top of her already-heavy load. "I'll have to ask my doctor. And I'm sure the department has some regulations or something."

"Yeah, we'll have to see," he said, sighing as he pulled her into his arms for a hug. Burying her face into his chest and wrapping her arms around him, she allowed herself a moment of comfort. "Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow," she agreed softly, her voice muffled by his shirt.

It was amazing – they way they danced around the topic, talking about it but not really talking _about_ it. But she'd asked for time and she knew he was trying to grant her as much of it as he could.

He felt her body tense in his arms and knew that now familiar anxiety was plaguing her again. "Don't worry about it," he urged her, rubbing her back soothingly. "Let's just relax tonight, okay?"

She nodded, determined to force all fears to the back of her mind for as long as she could keep them at bay.

* * *

Eric hit the top right button on his watch as his legs slowed to a walk. He stopped for a minute to catch his breath, his heart pounding much more rapidly than it usually did after a run. With a quick glance at his watch, he realized he'd upped his three-mile by a hefty chunk of time. He could've attributed it to the cool air or the stress of the day, but he was pretty sure it had a little something to do with Calleigh mentioning a bubble bath. _That_ image had almost made him completely abandon his physical fitness regimen for the day.

After a quick cool-down walk he was making his way through the house, tossing his drenched shirt on top of the hamper in the bedroom as he passed through. He eased the bathroom door open, thanking God that she was still submerged in water and covered in bubbles, blonde hair clipped up at the back of her head. Scattered candles set the room aglow and made the air smell of vanilla.

Tilting her head to the side, she just barely opened her eyes enough to take in the sight of him sweaty and shirtless. "Hey," she greeted, her voice warm and relaxed, a nice change from the stress that had inhabited her recently. "How was your run?"

"Good," he said, stepping closer to the large corner tub. "Lonely," he then admitted, though he smiled a little. He kneeled next to her, fingertips seeking out her shoulder and then trailing down underneath the foamy bubbles to her arm.

"I'll run with you again when I stop feeling sick in the afternoons and evenings," she said, then considering another option that made her smile amusedly. "Or you could get up early with me to run." He was generally under the covers and dead to the world at five-thirty in the morning.

Chuckling, he let out, "You're funny," and playfully splashed some bubbles at her neck.

"Hey," she playfully reprimanded. "You're ruining my relaxing bubble bath."

"Hmm, it _does_ look relaxing." With a mischievous sparkle in his eyes he stood and kicked his shoes off, ignoring her warning glare.

"Eric," she said sharply, eyes wide now as she watched him peel off his socks. "I swear if you get in here and make my bath water dirty and sweaty and nasty I will kill you."

"You're just going to shower in the morning," he pointed out knowingly as he rid himself of his shorts.

"_Eric!_" she shrieked in a final attempt at deterring him, but it was futile. He had quickly stripped down and settled in behind her, water sloshing over the side of the tub to accommodate the added volume. "You're cleaning that up," she told him, her voice full of disdain that was ironic considering she was settling in comfortably against his bare chest.

"Worth it," he murmured as his hands trailed down her slick sides underwater and settled on her hips. She lay back against him, resting her head on his shoulder. Letting his hands wander, his knuckles grazed up her sides, fingertips then skimming over her ribs.

Relaxing under his ministrations, she laid her head to the side, admiring his toned, masculine chest and…bubbles. That visual was not one she ever thought she'd see. She laughed softly, pressing a palm to his chest as he asked her just what was so funny.

"Nothing," she let out, feigning innocence for a moment as she tried to stop laughing. "I just never pegged you as a bubble bath kinda guy."

"Hey," he defended. "I'm not...but no way am I letting a few bubbles stand in the way of you all wet and naked." He would've given her a more difficult time for questioning his masculinity, but a little self-deprecation was worth it to hear her laugh so much. She hadn't in days.

"What about…" She trailed off to press her lips to the base of his throat, dragging them in slow kisses along his neck. "You and me…" Pausing again, she brushed her lips over his pulse. Her body slid against his as she turned to the side and scooted up a bit to reach higher on his neck. "Dried off but in bed," she continued, finally kissing her way up to his ear. "And definitely still naked," she whispered against his lobe, her seductive tone making his heart skip a few beats. As if that hadn't been enough, she trailed a hand down over his abs, letting it settle low on his abdomen underwater.

"Sounds perfect," he muttered, fingers brushing against her jaw lightly as he turned his head to capture her lips with his.

Calleigh kissed him once, and just when it became deep she teasingly broke away and gripped the edge of the tub. Finding her way onto her feet, she treated him to the perfect view before she wrapped a large blue towel around her small frame.

Quickly following suit, he stood and tied a matching towel around his waist as Calleigh unclipped her hair, letting it cascade down her back. At the feel of hands on her hips, she smiled, meeting his eyes briefly in the mirror before turning to face him.

Clearly intent on getting back at her for teasing, he pinned her against the counter with his body, her eyes flickering up to his with a flash of desire. He claimed her lips once again, holding her sides as he leaned into her, their mouths melding together.

With a light lift he eased her up onto the counter, warm hands skating across the skin of her thighs, sliding beneath the soft towel to find more of her skin. Instinctively, her legs wrapped around his body Her hands moved from his arms to his shoulders, then cradling the back of his neck as she opened her mouth for him. It had been days since his touch set her skin on fire, but it felt more like years. Every sensation was heightened now – the feel of his hand as it settled on her bare hip, his thumb drawing slow circles on her abdomen, the taste of him on her lips and in her mouth, and the faint smell of the cologne he favored. It was easy to become lost in him, to forget about her family, her fears, the positive pregnancy tests, and all the stress associated with those. She wanted to not be afraid, if only for a little while.

Eric broke away, both of them obviously out of breath as he rested his forehead on her shoulder to steady himself. He pressed a lazy kiss or two to her collarbone and murmured her name, his voice low and needy.

"Bed," she whispered back, admiring the curves and lines of his body as she trailed a finger over his shoulder muscles and then along his collarbone. He lifted his head to meet her eyes, identical smiles gracing both their features. Wrapping her leg around one of his, she used his body as leverage to bring herself forward and slid down between him and the counter. He leaned down, bringing his lips back to hers as he backed her out of the bathroom and into the dim bedroom. As they reached the bed he tugged her towel loose and let it fall to the floor, his hands now grazing her bare sides as his lips moved down her neck. She shivered with every new touch, forgetting all stress and fear as he continued lower, creating a trail of kisses over her collarbone and down her chest.

"Beautiful," he mumbled against her skin, hands sliding down to her hips.

And in that moment everything was simple.


	8. Break Like The Waves

**A/N: **Some part of me is absolutely loving that I have exactly 100 reviews. (I suspect this is the same OCD part of me that can only have the volume number at an even number or a multiple of five.) But…don't let that stop you. :) Thanks again to the wonderful **restless-mess** for previewing the chapter and helping so much. I tried hard to stay in-character with this. R&R please!

* * *

_On my face there is a change_

_And all these scars are floating away_

_I cross my arms and take on the rain_

_I'm on my way_

_I am awake_

_-The Working Title / "Nothing Less Radiant"_

**A month later…**

"Eric!"

The hint of urgency in her voice had him rushing up the stairs and fearing morning sickness or something terribly worse. Instead he found himself pausing at the doorway to their bedroom, smiling amusedly as Calleigh tried unsuccessfully to button a pair of black pants over her stomach.

"These fit a week ago," she told him, glancing at her reflection in the mirror once again. Sighing, she slid the pants off her hips and let them pool at her feet. She chucked them into a pile at the base of the dresser and began thumbing through her closet for something else.

He watched her for a moment, admiring the way her lower abdomen now curved outward instead of in. For a while this had all seemed so elusive, but now it was becoming more and more real. Within the past week or two it had become physically obvious that she was pregnant, though with clothes on no one else could tell. She was still completely slim at the waist and wasn't quite "showing" yet, but there was a definite change. And not just physically; she was beginning to work through her fears and had been warming up to the idea, albeit slowly. Very slowly. And it was touch-and-go; one day he'd make a pregnancy-related comment and she'd smile, and the next day she'd stiffen, look away, and close off. He never knew what he was going to get, but she'd definitely become more receptive to the idea within the past month.

"What about jeans?" Eric offered, figuring they'd have a bit more give. Calleigh dug through a stack of denim until she found a pair of her favorites and slid them on, fastening them easily at her hips. Eric let out an inconspicuous sigh of relief. Crisis averted.

But then she pulled a black v-neck shirt over her head and as it settled over her stomach, a slight bump was visible. Her jeans hung low on her hips, just under the swell of her abdomen, and the shirt fit snugly enough that it emphasized the bump instead of hiding it. Calleigh noticed the direction of Eric's eyes and glanced down, then at her reflection in the mirror. "Hmm," she let out, frowning slightly. "That's not going to work." At least not if they didn't want his family to know yet. "I didn't think I would get fat so soon."

"Calleigh," Eric admonished, chuckling as he walked over to her. Taking her hands in his, his eyes involuntarily trailed over her body appreciatively and stopped at her stomach. He couldn't seem to take his eyes off her. "You're not fat, you're…" He caught himself, shaking his head slowly as he lifted his eyes to hers. But she looked away, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.

"You can say it," she told him softly. She steeled herself for the emotions that would come with her actions and then took one of his hands in hers, placing it just above where her jeans rested low on her abdomen. He curved his hand over the small, firm bump, her hand pressed atop his beneath the fabric of her shirt.

"You're pregnant," he finally said, his voice now a mixture of surprise and awe. He'd touched her a thousand times in the past few weeks, but not like this. This was different. With their hands pressed together over what they'd created, it was hard to ignore the deeper connection between them now.

His eyes were glued to her stomach, but hers were fixed on him, taking in his utter amazement. She was still so anxious about this, but he looked so amazed, so proud, so…happy. Even as unsure as she still was, his reaction warmed her and brought a smile to her lips.

"You're smiling," he noted, eyes flickering to hers. A little smirk tugged at the corners of his lips.

"You're adorable," she said softly, pressing a palm to his cheek appreciatively.

Lips still curved upward, he moved his hands to her waist and pulled her close, pressing his lips to hers in a silent show of appreciation. She sighed contentedly, sinking into the kiss as her arms wrapped around his neck. Eric tilted his head to the side slightly, their mouths pressing and sliding in a familiar yet still exciting manner. His warm tongue grazed her lips and she opened her mouth for him, pressing up on the tips of her toes to bring herself closer. Wrapping his arms around her tighter, he leaned into her gently, guiding her a few steps backwards.

"Eric," she mumbled against his lips, feeling the backs of her legs reach the bed. "We're gonna be late."

As if he hadn't heard her warning, he kissed the corner of her mouth delicately, fingers tangling into her hair as he held her head in his hands. She laughed as he kissed her jawline with no intent of stopping.

"Eric," she said insistently, slipping her thumbs through the side belt loops of his jeans.

"It's impossible to be late if it lasts all day." He slid his hands down to her sides, slipping his fingers beneath her shirt again to touch bare skin.

"Yeah, but we're usually there by now," she pointed out, her actions betraying her words as she tilted her head, allowing his lips better access to her neck. "And I told your mom I'd help in the kitchen because lots of people are coming this week."

"Can we not mention my mom right now?" He chuckled, positioning her arms straight up and then grasping the hem of her shirt, lifting it over her head.

"Hey, you're supposed to be helping me get clothes _on_." Laughing a little, she urged him back to force the temptation away from her.

"You can't wear this one anyways," he noted, smirking as he handed it over. "Not unless you want to risk my family finding out already. And that's a pretty big risk considering you'll be around a house full of women already looking for signs of wedding bells and babies."

Calleigh smiled a little, but then sighed, biting her lip. "I just want to make sure everything's okay first."

They both wanted to make sure of that, but Eric knew Calleigh was still a bit hesitant about people – family especially – finding out. She was still concerned about becoming a mother and congratulations made her a little uncomfortable. She just wasn't ready for that yet.

"The appointment is tomorrow, right?" he asked as she hung the black shirt up and began flipping through other tops. "I cleared a few hours of leave with H, if it's okay."

"You're coming again?" She was honestly surprised when he'd accompanied her to the first appointment, but had quickly realized how much she wanted – or needed – him there. "Of course it's okay." His excited grin gave her butterflies as she slipped a smock-style top on, adjusting it slightly where it clung to her ribs before falling loosely over her stomach. She stepped away from the closet and glanced into the mirror, her reflection appearing far from pregnant now. "Better?" she asked.

Eric shrugged, stepping towards her and smoothing the fabric flat over her stomach, bunching the material at her back. He smiled down at her, watching as her lips curved into a smile that mirrored his own.

"I liked the other one better," he admitted, meeting her eyes as he pressed a hand to her abdomen.

* * *

If Calleigh had ever questioned Eric's wonderful upbringing (and she hadn't), a stroll through the Delko house would've quelled any doubts she may have had. There were photos _everywhere_ – on mantles, walls, and the counters of most tables, along with those packed in photo albums that took up an entire bookcase in the den. Even the long hallway downstairs was full of memories. It was lined with portraits from every year, starting near the living room with a framed photo of the three girls holding a tiny newborn Eric and ending down the hall with a picture of the four of them all grown and well into their twenties.

Calleigh's original intent had been to come inside to check on the food as Eric's mother had asked her to. Clorinda, Amelia, and Christina were making a last minute trip to the grocery store and Eric, as they predicted, was busy outside talking with his cousins and playing with the little ones. But Calleigh had already deemed the food acceptable and on-schedule several minutes ago, and had drifted into the living room when a photo caught her eye. The picture was one of many old ones framed about the home, but this one in particular never failed to catch her attention. In it, Eric, Marisol, Christina, and Amelia were all fairly young and covered in silly string. The photo never ceased to make her smile. The adorable, grinning second-grade-Eric missing two front teeth definitely contributed to her love of the picture, but there was also just such joy radiating from it. All four kids were smiling from ear to ear, enjoying childhood in a way that would have gotten Calleigh in an amount of trouble she couldn't even fathom. While Eric was engaging in silly string fights Calleigh had been reading in her bedroom, trying to stay out of her mother's way while she entertained a dinner party. And Lord forbid Charlene Duquesne find one single thing out of place or Calleigh and her sister would be in for it.

In a lot of ways she had never been a child. She hadn't been allowed to be. When she cried, her parents hushed her and then distracted her, teaching her from an early age how to deny her own feelings. Noise gave her mother migraines, ironically unless it was her own, and so Calleigh had always been quiet. And then her father's drinking worsened, forcing her to take care of him when he was home in addition to caring for herself

Sighing, Calleigh glanced from picture to picture. She wanted her future family to be more like Eric's and nothing like her own; she just doubted her ability to make it happen. How could she have children if she'd never really gotten to be one herself? And how could she create a warm, loving home when her own had been so opposite? And then maybe the more pressing issue: how could she admit she wanted this and give into that fierce desire when everything and everyone she'd ever wanted had been a let-down?

She hated how trite it sounded, but it was like she was conditioned to fear happiness. If you never expected anything, you could be pleasantly surprised. But if you threw yourself headfirst into happiness and accepted a want, you risked having it torn away from you when you least expected it. The happier she became and the more accepting she was of the idea of a tiny baby inside of her that would inextricably connect her and Eric forever, the tighter the anxiety wound in her chest. It pressed on her lungs, made her heart pound, ready to explode at any moment.

The sound of scampering footsteps stirred her from her thoughts. She turned in time to see Isabel coming into the living room, now walking slowly as she looked through the otherwise empty house. Clearly having been outside with the boys, if the grass stains on her dress were any indication, Isabel brushed her mussed hair away from her reddened face. Her eyes were watery and she was carrying the blanket she almost never parted with.

"Donde esta Mama?" Isabel asked, her voice a mere whimper, heavy with unshed tears. Calleigh suddenly remembered Amelia mentioning something about her difficult barely-four-year-old refusing to take a mid-day nap earlier. Calleigh bit her lip, hoping her words wouldn't dissolve Isabel into tears, and stepped closer to learn down to her.

"She's at the store," Calleigh told her honestly, frowning sympathetically as Isabel's lower lip trembled. Calleigh reached forward, running a hand soothingly up and down her back as she asked, "Que paso, baby?"

Isabel was a shy child, but she'd also been around Calleigh at least weekly for the past eight months or so and had come to trust her quickly. "Los muchachos," she said indignantly, sniffling as a lone tear rolled down one cheek. But one tear was all it took; the floodgates had opened and now she was hiccupping, sobbing and outstretching her arms to Calleigh.

"Isa," Calleigh soothed, hoisting her into her arms quickly and cradling her against her side. She held her with both arms and continued to rub her back as she cried. "What did the boys do?"

"They're mean," was all she could manage, fighting to catch her breath enough to speak. "Said I was…too little…to play," she said between sobs and hiccups, holding her blanket tightly as she clung to Calleigh.

"That's not very nice of them," Calleigh agreed, swaying back and forth in a motion that was surprisingly natural to her. Comforted and having cried a bit of her frustration out, Isabel laid her head on Calleigh's shoulder, tears still rolling down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Calleigh said softly. "Want to stay with me instead?" She felt Isabel nod and held her close, continuing the soothing motion on her back. In a four-year-old's world, Isabel was having a bad day and Calleigh knew she probably needed to just cry it out, be held, and maybe finally get that nap she'd been too wound up for earlier.

After a few minutes Isabel had quieted considerably and Calleigh glanced around the room for something that would relax her further.

"How about we finish Cinderella?" she asked, remembering Isabel's movie had been interrupted earlier when several family members showed up.

"Okay," Isabel agreed quietly, sniffling.

Calleigh shifted Isabel to her front so she could sit down on the couch. Finding the remote, she flipped the movie on. Isabel's tears had slowed, but they were still falling at a regular pace as she cuddled up to Calleigh, lying her head on its side on Calleigh's chest just under the crook of her neck.

Calleigh couldn't pinpoint any of the emotions stirring within her. When Isabel had come to her, she'd felt nervous and completely out of her element, but instincts she hadn't even known she possessed kicked in when Eric's niece had begun crying. All this time she'd feared that somehow her parents' inefficient parenting methods would've been ingrained into her own instincts, or that she just would've been completely clueless. But she'd taken Isabel into her arms, comforted her, and just let her cry.

And now she simply held her, alternating between smoothing a hand over her hair and rubbing her back. Isabel's tears gradually subsided and she'd calmed so much in Calleigh's arms that she was nearly asleep by the time Amelia, Eric and their mother came in through the back.

Noticing the flickering of the television, Eric continued into the living room, the sight of Calleigh cuddled up with his niece obviously affecting him as he met Calleigh's eyes and smiled. Their moment was cut short as Amelia followed him in, looking for Isabel.

"Is she okay?" Amelia asked worriedly, noticing the dried tear paths on her daughter's cheeks. She looked calm, though, lying on Calleigh and sleepily watching Cinderella with her fingers in her mouth.

"Yeah, just a bad day, I think," Calleigh told her, the three women exchanging a knowing smile as Clorinda watched from the kitchen.

"What's wrong, Isa?" Eric asked, squatting down next to the couch and unknowingly blocking Cinderella from her view. She narrowed her eyes at him a little, blinking tiredly. "Want me to take you upstairs so you can sleep before dinner?"

Now Isabel was downright glaring at him, making one of the meanest faces he'd ever seen a child make and turning her head away from him to Calleigh's other shoulder. She clutched her blanket tight against Calleigh's chest and nuzzled her face into the crook of Calleigh's neck.

"Ohhh, burn," Amelia teased, patting Eric's back in mock support. "Tio Eric just got the death stare. Sorry, baby bro, she wants Calleigh." Amelia's laughter mixed with her mother's from the kitchen and Eric shot them a playfully threatening look, though even he was smiling a bit.

Calleigh laughed a little, giving Eric a sympathetic look. "We don't like boys very much right now."

"She's spoiled, likes to be cuddled to sleep," Amelia admitted, running her fingers through her daughter's long, cinnamon-brown hair. "I can take her if you want so you're not stuck in here."

"I'm fine here," Calleigh said honestly, looking up at Amelia and then meeting Eric's eyes with a certain softness. Realizing the magnitude of her enjoying such a maternal role, she then joked, "I'm kind of scared of the backlash if I move her."

"Okay," Amelia said, smiling. "But you can dump her anywhere once she's asleep. Trust me, she won't wake up."

Eric settled in next to Calleigh, neither of them noticing the playfully suspicious look Amelia shot them on her way back to the kitchen. Eric leaned against the back of the couch, eyes never leaving Calleigh. She seemed perfectly comfortable with this new role, even under the weight of his stare.

After a moment she lifted her eyes from a now-sleeping Isabel to Eric and he whispered, "I like seeing you like this."

She smiled, though not quite unabashedly, and looked down as she ran her hand over Isabel's back. When she met his eyes hers were vulnerably open; she looked both happy and very afraid. "I like being like this," she admitted for the first time.

In the kitchen, Amelia snuck glances into the living room, taking note of her little brother's serious but gentle demeanor and their hushed whispers. She hovered close to her mother and with a pointed yet discreet nod to the living room she whispered, "Something's up."

"Mmhmm." Clorinda smiled, then chuckled knowingly.

* * *

While Eric had to admit that the first doctor's appointment had been quite boring, this one was proving to be drastically different. The room was silent, thick with anticipation as the doctor adjusted a screen and pressed a transducer to Calleigh's abdomen.

With a flip of a switch the machine came to life. The wah-wah of background noise punctuated the silence and Calleigh looked up at Eric from the bed. He noticed her gaze and took her hand, fingers threading as they locked eyes and waited.

Something – static or movement – washed through the speaker. Suddenly there was nothing but a steady, distinct _thump, thump, thump, thump, thump_ filling the room.

Calleigh's eyes narrowed slightly as she concentrated on the beat, but her eyes never left Eric's. Gazes unwavering, they were watching each other as the realization came over both their features.

Calleigh's words were directed at the doctor but she still didn't look away from Eric's deep, chocolate eyes. "Is that…?"

"That's the heartbeat," the doctor confirmed. "Nice and strong."

"It's so fast… Is it okay?" Eric asked, protective already.

"Fast is usual," the doctor assured, smiling at his concern. "One hundred and sixty-two beats per minute is perfect."

Calleigh smiled broadly and Eric watched her with amazement, both of them simply letting the sound wash over them. Focusing absentmindedly on the ceiling so she could pay attention to the beat, Calleigh felt the weight of such happiness settle in the pit of her. Anxiety coiled tightly in her chest and she swallowed hard.

This was _real._ And she wanted it more than anything. That realization was inexplicably frightening and she released her grip on Eric's hand, taking in a breath that could never be deep enough to calm her.

She paled noticeably, floating in a sea of anxiety and a near-out-of-body experience as the doctor turned the screen towards them. The image there – a grainy but perfect silhouette of their baby's early, developing profile – was beautiful and terrifying. Calleigh glanced up at Eric once, her eyes watery, but after that everything was a blur. She vaguely recalled the doctor pointing out body parts, saying that the baby was measuring around 11 weeks, and discussing the next visit, but she'd shut down, functioning on autopilot as a defense mechanism.

Eric knew not to press her when they were in the car and she'd feel cornered, so he waited. They drove home in silence, her fingers grasping the cd of the ultrasound they'd been given but her eyes focusing on the blurring scenery, mind elsewhere.

"Calleigh," he began once they were inside.

Anxiety made her restless and she needed to clear her mind _now_. She was already flitting around like a hummingbird, dropping her purse and the cd on the nearest table, digging for keys, and looking through a closet for something. Ear protection, he realized a moment later. She was going – no, more like _running_ – to the range.

"Calleigh," he said again, touching her arm as she brushed past him.

"I don't want to talk," she admitted. She was sorting through keys now, finding the one to her personal gun safe and heading towards the garage.

"How surprising," he muttered sarcastically and she suddenly spun on her heel.

"I'm _tired_ of talking," she told him angrily, green eyes piercing his. "I'm tired of stirring up my past, okay? I told you I needed time." Calleigh knew it wasn't fair, but she couldn't do this right now.

"I've given you nothing but time." His voice was raised now and she flinched, hating his harsh tone. "I've given you over a month to sort through things and figure out what you want."

"I don't know what I want." She was in the garage now, grabbing two gun cases, a silencer so the sound she loved so much wouldn't hurt the baby, and ammo.

"That's bullshit." He had no qualms about calling her out – he'd seen her with her hand on her abdomen, had watched her watch his nieces and nephews with amazement, had admired her elated smile at the sound of their baby's heartbeat. "You won't admit what you want. And I think you're really going to regret not accepting that want and enjoying this."

"You think it's so easy," she said coldly, voice rising to match his. "I'm sorry I didn't grow up with everything just falling into place for me."

"And you think everything has been a walk in the park for me? Everybody's got shit to deal with, Calleigh," he said angrily, too riled up to think through his words. "You deal with it and move on." That was unfair and he knew it, even as the words left his lips. Growing up _had_ been a walk in the park for him compared to her being forced into adulthood at the age of nine to take care of a drunken father. But he was too angry to be sympathetic.

"Deal with it?" she scoffed, looking at him disbelievingly. "I've never had the chance to. No one has stayed around long enough."

"Yeah, cause in the past you've definitely picked people who were gonna be there for you," he spat out sarcastically. It was a low-blow and he knew it, but it was true.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means you dated people who were destined to let you down so you wouldn't ever have to deal with anything," he told her, and she'd never heard him sound so condescending. "C'mon, Cal, your dad is an alcoholic."

That bit. She looked away, crossing her arms over her chest defensively and fisting the keys in her palm until her knuckles turned white. "I'm glad you can so easily reduce me to some psychoanalytic stereotype," she scoffed, quickly hiding her hurt with anger. "I'm leaving," she said decidedly.

"Just let me ask you one thing, Cal," he said, temper flaring. "How much is enough time? Cause I've done so much waiting when it comes to you," he added bitterly. "So how much more time do you need? Another seven years, how long it took us to get together? Five months, how long it took before I could tell you I loved you without you running scared? A month and two weeks, the length of time we've known you were pregnant but couldn't be happy about it? Four months, the amount of time I've had a ring for you stashed away while I waited for you to be ready? How long, Cal?"

An angry conversation had been the last place he'd wanted to bring it up, but his words had spiraled. He was tired of waiting, and he'd been doing it for so long that he couldn't rein in his temper even if he tried.

She had tears in her eyes now, but she was too angry to cry or let the knowledge that he'd wanted to propose for so long affect her. If she'd been more rational she would've recognized his blowing up as a breaking point. She was burning, searing, with anger at his words, but she tried to steel herself as she always did.

"I don't know," she replied evenly, devoid of all emotion. "How long until you stop acting like this?"

And with that she was gone.


	9. To The Beat of Our Noisy Hearts

**A/N: **I want to thank each and every one of you for reviewing. I was absolutely blown away by the number of reviews I received this time around. I don't know how the heck that happened, but it made me ridiculously happy. Most of you know I always reply to your reviews, so I wanted to be able to thank those of you who don't log in to leave reviews. Lucy, Eric&CalleighForever, Tiffany, Ceci, Becky, HiphuggersForever, stellastronach, Emma, Susie, H&H and Kayla: Thank you so much!!! I always appreciate your reviews. And as usual, thank you SO much to restless-mess for betaing and helping out so much. She gives me great advice.

Also: Sorry if anything is a bit rough. I wanted to get this up before I moved because I may be pretty busy for a few days…and I've been so close to being done for a while now that I wanted you guys to have it to read before I got really busy.

* * *

_I run my life_

_Or is it running me?_

_Run from my past,_

_I run too fast_

_Or too slow it seems_

_When lies become the truth_

_That's when I run to you_

Ironically, Calleigh had never associated guns with violence. People, yes. But guns? No. They were just science. A little firepower and some carefully designed mechanisms. She had always been fascinated with them – with the parts, the physics, and of course the shooting. She loved aiming, getting into position and waiting for the calm to overtake her; at the perfect moment, at the end of releasing a steady breath, she would remain still and hug the trigger. She loved the crack of a gunshot, loved the thrill of a bullet heading straight for the center of a target.

She never shot to relieve aggression or anger, only to clear her mind. Shooting had only ever been calming.

But today she was angry and it was affecting her. She was off-kilter, unable to focus.

Taking a deep breath, she steadied her aim, relaxed her shoulders as much as she could, and squeezed the trigger. It passed through the target just right of the bull's-eye and she sighed heavily.

His words would not leave her. Though the drive out to the range had calmed her slightly, she was still furious. Her heart was still pounding and she couldn't get the image of him so angry out of her mind.

She reasserted herself, took her stance, breathed, waited, and hugged the trigger again.

Too far left.

"_You won't admit what you want."_

She fired again, missed again, and sighed again.

"_It means you dated people who were destined to let you down so you wouldn't ever have to deal with anything."_

His words had stung. It was one of her worst fears – that opening up to someone would give them the ammunition to hurt her. Eric had not only done that, but he'd psychoanalyzed her. That was something she'd _never_ wanted done and he knew it.

"_C'mon, Cal, your dad is an alcoholic."_

Like she didn't know. Like she wasn't familiar with empty and broken promises, disappointment, and betrayal. If she'd wanted to reduce her actions and feelings to some "daughter of an alcoholic" stereotype, she would've signed up for therapy long ago. But she'd never wanted to. She'd refused to let her father – or anyone – affect her. By default, was that a contradiction?

She was _so_ angry, but as she aimed and took her shots it became less and less apparent with whom.

With each crack of a gunshot, her anger toward Eric mysteriously eased. His words seemed no less cruel, but it was becoming harder and harder to deny the truth of them. And even Eric, the most patient and understanding man she'd ever met, had a breaking point; she had pushed him to it.

She loaded a new magazine, slapped it into the base, lifted her arms and lined up the dots one once again.

Calleigh had done this more times than she could count, had pushed people away for all sorts of reasons. Never had she done it because she'd been afraid of her fears associated with happiness, though. Only with Eric. No one else had ever become so deeply imbedded into her heart and mind. She wasn't even mad at him anymore, she realized, finger lightly pressing the trigger. She was mad at herself, and her parents.

With a loud pop, the bullet sailed through the air.

Bull's-eye.

* * *

Eric let the steady beat of his footsteps drown out their angry words. He was pounding out his frustration on the pavement, running so hard he could barely breathe, and he still couldn't completely escape their heated conversation. Their words – his words, mostly – kept playing through his mind. He'd never meant to throw her past back in her face, no matter how frustrated he was with her. And he certainly hadn't wanted to tell her about the ring in a raised voice during a fight.

The unexpected ringing of his cell phone brought him to a walk and he struggled to catch his breath as he glanced at the screen. Christina.

Flipping it open, he muttered a "hey" as his breathing slowly evened out.

"Hey, best brother and uncle in the world," Christina greeted cheerfully, letting him know she wanted something that likely involved his nieces or nephews.

"Hi, most demanding sister in the world," he teased, shaking his head as he turned and headed back in the direction of Calleigh's house. "What's up?"

"I'm babysitting _and_ I have Isabel and Aaron _and_ I have to get the boys to practice," she answered. He could tell just by the tone of her voice that she was wincing.

"So?"

"Mark had to work late and I can't fit all the munchkins in my car. _Please_, Eric. I'm begging you. I'll only be gone like twenty minutes."

For once, the last thing he wanted to do was be around kids. He needed to take his mind off Calleigh and babies and children and white picket fences, but thirty minutes later he still found himself walking into Christina's living room.

"Eric!" Isabel shrieked, immediately running toward him and practically jumping into his arms.

"Oh, so you like me today?" he asked playfully, holding her with one arm and tickling her belly with his free hand. She giggled and scrunched up her face, pushing his hands away playfully.

Maybe he was wrong; Isabel was taking his mind off the fight already.

"Where's Calleigh?" she then asked.

Or not. He sighed and came up with an easy excuse. "She's working," he told her, thankful when Christina walked in…with a baby on her hip. "Hey, you didn't say anything about a baby."

"I said _baby_sitting," she pointed out, coming over to give Eric a quick hug. "So where's Calleigh tonight?" she asked, picking up on the slight frustration that crossed his features at the mention of her name.

"Working," he repeated, avoiding his sister's eyes. "She got stuck processing a double homicide." Bored with their grown-up talk, Isabel squirmed out of his arms and scampered off after her cousins.

"Here, I need to pack the boys a snack," she said, holding the baby boy by his sides so she could hand him over to Eric.

Eric hesitated, not wanting to be further reminded, and Christina shot him a look.

"Since when are you baby shy?"

"I'm not," he insisted, smiling in a way that wasn't quite genuine as he took the baby from her. She eyed him suspiciously, suddenly agreeing with her mother and sister that something was up. Eric and Calleigh had definitely seemed a bit different to her lately, but they were CSIs, more adept at hiding their emotions and motives than most people.

"Amelia was right," she said, glancing at him before she began moving about the kitchen. "You're being weird."

Eric shook his head, brushing off her comment and looking down at the six-month-old in his arms.

"Well, you're usually all about babies," Christina noted, smiling as baby Jacob explored the pocket of Eric's shirt. "And you usually don't seem annoyed at the mention of Calleigh's name." She was more serious now, looking concerned as she met his eyes and tried to read him.

Eric sighed, knowing that if he asked her to leave it alone she would, but she was honestly concerned. "It's just because I was trying to clear my head a bit and stop thinking about Calleigh," he admitted. "We had a bit of a…disagreement."

"I'm married, Eric," Christina said, leveling with him. "I know that disagreement is a nice word for fight."

Eric smiled sadly, recalling his accusatory words. "She's having a hard time dealing with how serious things are between us because of how rough her family was. I got impatient and I kind of called her out on some stuff about her dad…got a little too honest."

Christina frowned sympathetically and shrugged. "She probably just needs some more time."

He sighed at the irony and nodded, saying, "Yeah, I need to be a little more patient."

"And she needs to keep working through things," Christina added, knowing it wasn't all on him. "I'm sure you guys will work it out though. You love each other."

"Yeah, we do," he agreed, smiling a little now as he focused his attention back on the baby. Jacob had grown bored in Eric's arms and was now letting out noises of displeasure that would surely turn into cranky cries if Eric didn't do something soon. He bounced Jacob in a motion that came easily to him as he dug his phone out of his pocket. Babies loved phones. He handed it to Jacob, who quickly became fascinated with the lights and buttons.

"Soooo…how serious _are _you two?" Christina asked with a playful smile that let him know exactly what she was fishing for. "Did you give her the ring?"

"No," he said, smiling at her interrogation. A moment of disappointment flashed in his eyes though, recalling his earlier admission in the midst of their fight. "But I will, when she's ready."

Christina continued to watch Eric with Jacob, pursing her lips as she considered whether to share her mother's thoughts or not. "Mami thinks you're, uh, carrying on the Delko line," she said after a moment, grinning as she watched him for a reaction.

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Mami just wants more grandbabies."

She smiled, unable to deny the way his lips curved upward into a smirk. Whether it was because babies were part of his future plans and something he definitely wanted or because babies were part of a plan that was already in motion, she didn't know.

"I've gotta get them to practice," Christina said, grabbing a lunchbox of snacks. "I'll be quick so I can let you get home to Calleigh."

* * *

Calleigh was a little surprised to find him there when she got back. She'd hoped, and some part of her had expected that he would be considering this was _Eric_, but no one had ever stayed before… This was one of those things, like prolonged happiness or depending on someone, that she had never been accustomed to. The calm after the storm.

He was asleep in the shadows of the dark bedroom, her house completely still. Judging by the book and magazine, he'd tried to wait up, but the exhaustion of the long, emotional day had overtaken him.

Calleigh turned the cd over in her hands as she watched him for a moment. He'd fallen asleep mostly on her side of the bed, face turned toward her pillow to take in her scent in lieu of her actual presence. For probably the hundredth time, she realized that in addition to being incredibly attractive, Eric was also kind of adorable.

After placing the cd on her dresser and changing into comfortable clothes, she sunk onto the mattress gently and eased back. Gradually, as she curled up beside him, she reclaimed her spot. As much as she didn't want to disturb him, she knew she needed to wake him. Neither of them would be able to sleep the night away peacefully after their angry words.

She touched him with a hesitance characteristic of her apprehension. A few hours ago they'd exchanged ugly words in raised voices; she had no idea how he felt about the situation now, if he was still frustrated with her or not. Her anger had ebbed away at the range and on the long drive home, giving way to mere upset and frustration with herself, her parents, and her childhood.

Softly, she grazed the back of his head with her fingertips, sliding over his rough hair and coaxing him into consciousness. With bleary eyes, he took in the image of her lying across from him.

At the feel of her finger trailing over the stubble on his cheek, he sighed and drew her closer. Her hands were cold and goosebumps littered her arms. Finding the edges of the covers, he lifted them, tucking her into a warm cocoon of down blankets, soft sheets, and Eric.

Resting his head against hers, he kissed her forehead and then the bridge of her nose in an unspoken apology.

In silent acceptance and an apology of her own, she slid an arm around his waist and wrapped a leg around his to pull their bodies flush against one another. The warmth that spread throughout her was almost immediate. She tucked her head into the crook of his neck as his hands began to slide over her skin soothingly, first down her arm and then diving beneath the stretchy fabric of her tank top to caress her back. She closed her eyes as he pointedly stopped at her hip and skimmed his fingers up her side, avoiding her stomach out of respect for her need of time.

A few moments later he felt the unmistakable sensation of warm tears bathing his neck.

"Calleigh," he uttered, trying to pry her away so he could meet her eyes, so he could read her better. "I'm so sorry for what I said earlier."

"No, you were right," she insisted, sniffling and wiping tears away before she pulled back just far enough to meet his gaze. "Harsh, but right."

He'd thought her realization and admittance of that would've felt better and would've been a step in the right direction, but after the way he'd brought it up he just felt like a jerk. Sighing, he sat up and pulled her into his arms, tucking her hair behind her ear and kissing her temple as tears kept spilling down her cheeks. "I'm still sorry…for how I said it."

"I'm sorry for pushing you to that point," she whispered. He cradled her in his arms, wiping her tears away and kissing her forehead delicately. His actions were obviously meant to comfort, and they did, but they also drew more tears from Calleigh. He had never seen her cry like this. When Speed died, she had let a few emotionally-charged tears escape, wiped them away quickly, and recovered. When they lost William Campbell in the crane incident, she had sobbed in reaction to the traumatic death, feeling as though it were her fault for not holding on stronger. But crying at all was uncharacteristic for her, and crying a slow, calm, steady stream of tears for this long was even more unusual. Furrowing his brows, he watched as she laid her head against his shoulder and let him comfort her in a way that was also completely uncharacteristic of her.

"Calleigh… Why are you crying?" he asked softly, hearing her take in a slow, shaky breath.

"Because…you're wonderful, and I'm mad at my dad, and I love you and this baby so, so much that I don't even know how to deal with it." That disclosure had her heart knocking against her chest, but she felt a huge weight lift as some of the anxiety left her. Talking and his soothing hand on her back made the tears flow harder, though, and for the first time she wondered if her hormone-laden body was affecting her. "And maybe hormones…"

"Maybe," Eric whispered against her temple, the corners of his lips curving upward for a moment. He wasn't sure when she'd gone from barely being able to accept that she was pregnant to even saying the word "baby." She had skipped that step and soared clear on over to admitting how much she loved it. That, along with the sight of her hand resting absentmindedly over her abdomen, sent a wave of relief and happiness throughout him. "Did you just figure out that you're mad at your father?"

"I guess it's kind of silly, but yeah," she admitted. "I always disliked the way I was brought up, but I've made excuses for him so many times and felt sorry for him for so long. It kind of hit me today that, because of him, I can't accept anything at face value. I feel happy and then I immediately feel anxious because I'm just waiting for the ball to drop." She sighed and his arms tightened around her encouragingly, his palm coasting up and down her upper arm. "I know that you're completely in this and you're not going anywhere, so when I feel happy it's just like…well what's going to go wrong now? I get terrified for absolutely no reason and I wonder if something is going to happen to you, if something will go wrong with her…" Trailing off, she glanced down at her stomach as her hand slid over the slight bump.

"Like being a boy?" Eric teased lightheartedly, tilting his head to glance down at her. Calleigh paused, backtracked over her words, and smiled when she realized what she had said.

"Or him," she clarified, meeting Eric's eyes to find him in thought once again.

"I never thought about exactly why it's so hard for you to accept all of this," he told her honestly. "Knowing your dad, your world was probably flipped upside down every time you thought it had righted itself. I just thought you were being stubborn and pulling away, so I got frustrated."

"I don't blame you," she said softly. "I thought I would work through this faster." Turning her hand over under his, she linked their fingers together. "Thank you for being so patient with me."

"It's always worth it." Eric rested his head against hers, watching her smile as his free hand slid over the curve of her stomach.

"Still, it's okay to push me a little," she told him, pulling back to meet his eyes again. "I hate that you haven't been as openly affectionate and happy as I know you want to be. I don't want you to have to hold back…"

"And I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable," he countered, still sensing a bit of hesitance in her words. "Is this okay?" he asked as he nodded towards her body, where his hand still rested over her stomach.

Smiling a little, she wrapped an arm around his waist and laid her head back against his chest. "This is perfect."

Despite her attempts, she couldn't stifle the yawn that signaled her exhaustion. As she reached up to cover her mouth, Eric noticed the tiredness in her movements and features.

"You're exhausted," he said softly, knowing she needed sleep now more than ever. "We can talk tomorrow."

She would've protested, but with how tired she'd been lately she couldn't be assured she wouldn't fall asleep mid-conversation no matter the importance. Nodding, she eased back onto her pillow and cuddled up to Eric's side. His fingers still danced across her skin, tracing the familiar curve of her side and hollow of her hip before skimming over the new protrusion of her stomach.

"So you love the baby?" he asked as he settled in beside her.

A wave of anxiety came with the happiness that inhabited her, but she met his eyes and honestly smiled through it. "Yeah," she whispered, "I love the baby." Her hand settled over his as she watched his lips curve into a smile and saw pure happiness dance in his eyes.

She suddenly remembered the words written in his file, the way he'd looked at her all those years ago, and realized that he'd been waiting for this for _years._ Waiting on _her _for years. She admired his resolve. It had taken her a long time to even date him because she knew how serious it would be. She had walked onto that elevator with someone else many times because the other guy in her life was _Eric_, who was her best friend and wanted lots of kids and looked at her as though he saw his future in her eyes And then she'd read his file and realized that he did.

After everything, it seemed silly that he should have to make sure of her feelings.

"You don't fit," she said softly, and when his brows furrowed in confusion she smiled. "With my pattern…of dating guys who wouldn't stick around. You don't fit that."

He smiled with her then, meeting her eyes and sliding his fingers through the soft strands of her hair. "No," he agreed after a moment, "I don't."

"Ever think about why?"

"I figured," he began, pausing for a minute to collect his thoughts, "I just figured that you decided to go for a nice guy this time, and someone you had real feelings for."

"It was more than that," she admitted. Taking a deep but shaky breath, she threaded their fingers together. "There's a reason I wouldn't be with you when I first knew how you felt about me. I wasn't ready…I would've pushed you away and hurt you, and I never wanted to do that to you."

"Ready for what?"

"To admit what I wanted," she said, shrugging slightly. Wanting to be completely open with him, she continued, "I wanted the same things as you, with you."

Eric smiled, squeezing her hand gently and tilting his head down to brush his lips against hers.

"I've always loved this baby," she told him as he rested his forehead against hers. "I think you know that," she added, feeling him nod against her. "It was just…terrifying to admit."

"And now?"

"Getting easier," she said softly, looking down at their joined hands and then lifting her gaze back to him. "It's still scary."

"As nice as it would be, you can't expect to work through everything overnight. And I can't expect you to either." He lifted up, kissing her forehead and then her temple as she rested her head on his shoulder. "We'll work through it together though."

She sighed contentedly, inhaling the faint scent of his cologne and resting a hand on his side. "I wanted to do something," she said after a moment, disentangling herself from his body for just long enough to grab the cd and Eric's laptop. When she returned she settled in between his legs, back against his chest so his body surrounded her, the laptop resting on her thighs. As she slipped the cd into the drive, Eric swept her hair off one shoulder and kissed her bare skin. He wrapped his arms around her waist as the image of their baby came up on the screen, both of them freezing in place again as the sound of a quick, strong heartbeat filled the room.

Calleigh rested her hand over her abdomen and relaxed back against Eric's chest. She had been too terrified before to watch the screen in the exam room, but now she was completely transfixed by every movement. The image before her and the sound filling the room brought a confusing mixture of fear, happiness, anxiety, and comfort.

"She has your short legs," Eric teased, his hand settling over hers on the bump of her stomach.

"She's an 11-week-old fetus, Eric," Calleigh said, playfully defensive. Fighting through a yawn, she added, "Give her time to grow and I'm sure she will have beautiful, long legs like your family. Besides, I thought we weren't calling it a she."

Eric chuckled and Calleigh had to smile. She hadn't given into this before – the speculating and playful banter – but she had to admit that it felt nice. As she focused on the computer screen again, a bit of the fear had been chipped away and replaced with comfort.

She leaned further back, reclining against Eric's body and resting her head on his chest. Closing her eyes, she focused on the sound, allowing herself to be comforted by the steady beat and the feel of their hands resting over the baby. She was finally losing her battle against sleep. Before she knew what was happening, she was drifting off in Eric's arms to the sound of the baby's heartbeat, feeling more comforted and relaxed than she had in a long time.


	10. An Unexpected Rain

_Two months later…_

_I wanna feel the car crash_

'_Cause I'm dying on the inside_

_I want to let go and know_

_That I'll be alright, alright_

Today was one of those rare days when Calleigh felt significantly annoyed with her job. It was her allotted day in the ballistics lab, which thrilled her, but she was left to pick up the slack left by the swing-shifter from another county who'd temporarily taken her full-time ballistics workload. As if that hadn't been demanding enough, one of the guns she'd test fired produced a bullet with identical striations to a bullet found at a previous shooting two counties over. She'd had to drive over to converse with a detective, examine the case file, and speak to their medical examiner. It had also been her day to respond to the early morning call-out, so she'd been running around like crazy all day and it wasn't even lunchtime yet. She just wanted a nap. And maybe a hug from Eric, if she was being completely honest.

Sighing, she gripped the two cups in her hands and used her back to push open the door to Eric's area in the fingerprinting lab. He was busy and only expecting Wolfe, so he didn't look up, but he caught a flash of blonde hair out of the corner of his eye as she passed by, rounding the table. Interest piqued, he looked up to find Calleigh smiling and sliding a large cup of coffee – Cuban, he guessed by the smell – his way.

Since she couldn't have coffee, it was obvious she'd gone out of her way. That knowledge tripped him up a little, made him want to kiss her instead of just smile because they were at work.

"Have I ever told you that you're amazing?" he asked, completely losing his focus on the fingerprint images on his computer screen. Despite the alluring aroma of the coffee she'd slid his way, his attention was immediately drawn to her stomach. Peeking out from beneath the flaps of her fitted, unbuttoned suit jacket was her five-months-pregnant belly. There was no denying it now – and everyone at the lab was gossiping.

"Mmm, a couple times," she replied playfully. Lifting the straw of her cup to her lips, she took a sip of her own fix.

"Well, you're amazing," he said decidedly, then glancing at her smoothie. "What's that?"

"An all-natural, healthy-for-the-baby energy booster," she told him, smiling at the way he lit up at the mention of the baby. "Gotta love B-vitamins."

He smiled, but then looked her over concernedly, brows furrowing. "You're tired? Do you need a break?"

"_No_," she insisted, playfully annoyed. "Eric, you have to stop this. Drink your coffee, match those fingerprints…" she teased, trying to redirect his focus to no avail. "Why are you poring over these anyway? I thought we already matched them to the fingerprint on the knife." Eric was meticulous; he always double-checked manually and, occasionally, when he didn't want to be right, he triple-checked.

"We did," he agreed, sighing. "But something didn't sit right with me… The blood looked like it pooled strangely, so I did a little experiment." He turned back to the computer, bringing up two images. "The first is a typical bloody fingerprint. The second is what happens when you lift a fingerprint, use a material like foil to take a mold of it, apply blood, and then press it onto an object." Calleigh leaned in further, adjusting the high waist of her top as she looked at the ridge detail in the photos, and after she'd examined them Eric brought up a third image. "This is the fingerprint I pulled off the knife."

Calleigh exhaled heavily and shook her head. "It looks like the second." She glanced down for a moment, repositioning the fabric over her growing stomach before she looked back up at Eric. "You think she was framed."

"Yeah, I do," he said, though his attention was back on her now. He smirked, watching as she pulled at the hem of her top again and then adjusted the v-neckline. "You're fidgeting."

She sent him a look that was partly a glare, partly frustration, and one hundred percent adorable if you asked him, though she would've killed him for that thought.

"It doesn't fit right."

"It fits perfectly," he told her, chuckling a little. "You're just not used to the, uh, added volume."

"Nice choice of words," she noted, narrowing her eyes playfully. "But that sounds like a euphemism for me getting big."

"No, the _baby_ is getting big," he corrected. He glanced around briefly, only finding a couple techs bustling around beyond the glass walls, and placed his hand on her abdomen. She knew it was a moment of weakness, but that still didn't explain why she found herself leaning into his touch until her forehead rested against his chest, until she could smell the faint but distinct scent of cologne and Eric mixed into his shirt. With his free arm wrapped around her waist and his other hand still gliding across her abdomen, he pulled her close in a half-hug and lowered his lips to her ear. "You look beautiful."

Smiling, she lay her hand against his chest in appreciation and he squeezed her close before letting go, knowing even their brief private moment was quite a stretch for her while at work.

Ryan hesitated just down the hall from the door to the lab and averted his eyes downward. He opened the manila envelope and absentmindedly gazed at the material as if reviewing the information, but he'd already been over it at least a half-dozen times. He just didn't want to interrupt. Tapping it anxiously against his palm, he pressed his lips together and glanced back into the room.

He knew Calleigh and Delko would've chewed him out for dragging his heels on a case, if even for a few minutes, but they were clearly having a moment, one they rarely indulged themselves in at work even if they had the time to. And, if he were being honest, he would admit that some of his motivations were selfish. As CSIs they saw terrible situations in families day in and day out - women who murdered their husbands for the money, men who snapped and killed their own children, couples who cheated, fathers who lied to their families…the list was endless. But Calleigh and Eric were the real deal. It was incredible to witness; Eric, who had always been a little hot-blooded, was soothing and soft with Calleigh, and she was open and unguarded with him in return. They were happy and in love, and Ryan was certain they would make damn good parents. It was a bit cheesy, but the knowledge that something so pure and decent still existed gave him a little hope for the world.

Calleigh smiled in a way Ryan had never seen – open, soft, and completely feminine – and when she pulled away from Eric, Ryan took that as his cue.

Eric and Calleigh both quickly returned to the picture of professionalism, but Ryan was still smiling a little as he entered.

"Dig up anything from the vic's personal life?" Eric asked, noticing the file in Ryan's hand.

"Bank statements. There are a couple of unexplained check deposits for large amounts. I'm about to check with the bank now," Ryan said, flipping open the envelope again. "And Calleigh, you'll probably be paged in about two seconds, but you have a visitor up front."

"The Palm Beach detective already?" Calleigh raised a brow. "That was fast."

"Not unless she's about 5'5", has blonde hair and blue eyes, and wears designer heels…" Ryan was understandably skeptical.

"No," Calleigh confirmed, laughing a little. "At least I hope he doesn't." Calleigh straightened up a little, trying to see beyond the many people blocking her view of the lobby. Finally, an opening cleared and she caught sight of a far too familiar head of blonde hair. The woman was speaking animatedly with the Miami-Dade Crime Lab's receptionist, which only made her seem more familiar to Calleigh, but there was no way it could be who she thought it was…

"I think she said her name was Anna," Ryan added, his voice hitching into a question at the end.

At the way Calleigh's body stiffened, Eric immediately knew that the woman in the lobby who bore a striking resemblance to Calleigh even from a distance _was _indeed her sister. Calleigh was frozen in place; Anna was the last person she'd expected to find waltzing through the MD Crime Lab doors and asking for her.

"Cal…" Eric began, ready to offer anything she needed. He would stall; hell, he would lie if she needed him to. Calleigh had been working through a lot lately and she was much more comfortable with the idea of becoming a mother, but she certainly wasn't ready to confront her dysfunctional family with the news.

Calleigh sighed, meeting his eyes and smiling reassuringly, though it wasn't quite genuine. "It's fine," she told him as if following his thought process. She touched his arm briefly before walking out of the lab on shaky legs, keeping her composure mostly because she had to, but also because of Ryan's presence.

Noticing the exchange, Ryan watched Calleigh leave and then glanced back at Eric. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah," Eric said, though his eyes were on Calleigh every other second. "Let's just work the case."

Calleigh never knew what to expect when it came to her sister. Growing up, Anna had never been the older sister Calleigh had wanted or needed. She had rarely been around, a habit which had followed her into adulthood. Anna was addicted to starting over; Calleigh had realized that long ago. She'd switched colleges three times in four years, graduated with a degree she never ended up using, and moved to a new city roughly every few years. And yet she was casual about everything, pretending she wasn't the least bit affected so well that Calleigh wondered if Anna had ever even realized it.

"Calleigh!" Anna let out excitedly upon seeing her. "Thank God. I've been trying to convince this woman you really do have a sister."

"Well, I can't say I blame her," Calleigh admitted, smiling as she took in the sight of her sister. She hadn't seen her in three years, not since the death of an aunt had brought them both back to Darnell. Anna was as beautiful as ever – blonde hair, blue eyes, delicate features, and a couple extra inches of height that Calleigh wished had graced her gene pool as well. "I don't think you've ever been here."

"I know, I don't get to Miami much," Anna admitted. She glanced around at the busy lobby before her blue eyes landed back on Calleigh. "That could change though."

"How do you mean?" Calleigh asked as she ushered Anna into one of the empty rooms that branched off from the lobby.

"Well," Anna began as she took a seat along the row of chairs, "I have a job interview at one." She shrugged, running a hand through hair that was nearly the same shade as Calleigh's but significantly shorter. "Miami sounds like fun and I have family here, so I figured I'd give it a go."

Calleigh crossed her legs and leaned back against the chair, considering for a moment what it would be like to have family in town. But then again this was _her_ family, and she knew that physical proximity meant nothing. She knew from experience that Anna could be just as distant within the same household as she could be from a thousand miles away. And words were nothing more than empty promises in the Duquesne family.

Before she could formulate a response, the ringing of her cell phone disrupted her thoughts. She brushed her jacket back to shush the phone at her hip, unknowingly revealing the stylish maternity shirt that hugged her upper torso and then draped loosely over her pregnant stomach in an attempt to hide it. When she looked back up, she found Anna's gaze quickly darting from her body back up to her face. _'Oh,'_ Calleigh realized, glancing down at her stomach and then back at her sister. _'Crap.'_

"Oh my God, Calleigh. Are you…?" Anna trailed off, eyes wide.

"Yeah…" Calleigh smiled, completely understanding Anna's disbelief.

"Wow." Anna looked away, focusing on a bare spot on the wall as she let it sink in.

"Yeah." Calleigh laughed a little, mostly due to nerves, and shifted slightly.

"With Eric?" she asked, suddenly turning back to meet Calleigh's bright green eyes. They had kept in touch off and on, and though they hadn't talked for several months she at least knew who Calleigh had been dating last. And she could recall that they'd known each other for nearly ten years or something crazy like that.

Calleigh was impressed that she remembered. She smiled genuinely, thinking of her overprotective boyfriend across the hall. "Yeah," she answered, glancing through the doorway to see him through several panes of glass working with Ryan distractedly, looking her direction every other minute. "With Eric."

That telltale smile did not go unnoticed by Anna and she followed Calleigh's gaze, raising her brows in an impressed manner as her eyes settled on Eric. "Well no wonder," she joked, the two of them still able to share some semblance of a sisterly relationship despite everything.

"Anna!" Calleigh scolded, smiling and shaking her head disbelievingly.

"Well, I'm just saying!" Anna defended, shrugging. "But seriously," she said, turning a bit more serious as she motioned toward Calleigh's abdomen. "Congratulations." It didn't sound quite genuine. She was still in shock, still flabbergasted and still jaded from her own experience. Frankly, Anna wasn't sure how Calleigh could bring a child into this world after what they had been through.

Calleigh saw it in her eyes. "Do you mean that?"

"I don't know," she replied honestly, taken aback by Calleigh's bluntness. They didn't do this. They played it safe, kept it all on the surface. The last time they'd had a heart-to-heart was in college on the day their mother filed for divorce. "You know I don't buy into the whole family thing…"

"I do know that," Calleigh agreed, her lips tightening into a sad smile. "And that's fine. You know I've been there, and I'm not asking you to change how you feel. I just don't want you to feel like you have to say something you don't mean." There was a lot more she could've said, but even this was a lot for them.

Anna sighed. "Look, Calleigh," she began, leveling with her. "If you're happy, then I'm happy for you," she said genuinely, smiling reassuringly.

"I am happy," she admitted, though faint traces of hesitance still clung to her words. "It took me a long time to be okay with that and to be able to admit it, but I really am happy."

"Good," Anna said decidedly, a flicker of something Calleigh couldn't pinpoint flashing in her eyes.

Calleigh sighed, glancing at the time. This was getting heavy, way too heavy for a short visit at work. "Anyways, I don't want to make you late…"

"Yeah, I wish I could stay," Anna began, flipping her phone open to glance at the clock. "But I just meant to drop in and say hi for a minute. Oh! And tell you about our cousin Kristin's wedding. It's next month…in Darnell," she added, meeting Calleigh's eyes knowingly. Darnell meant family. Specifically, it meant their parents. Neither of them had been there in quite a while. "I think I'm going to go," Anna said, though her voice was soft and unsure. "You should come. You could bring Eric. Isn't that what normal people do?" Her eyes were sparkling playfully now.

"Normal people don't have families who would scare away Hitler," Calleigh quipped as they both stood. "I'll think about it though…" They each hesitated a moment, both unsure of a proper goodbye after growing up in a household with very little physical contact. "Well, good luck with the interview," Calleigh said after a moment, crossing her arms over her chest awkwardly. "Let me know how it goes?"

"I will, I'll call you," Anna assured, smiling. "See you soon, maybe."

"Hopefully," Calleigh corrected, both of them smiling near-identical smiles. Even that little exchange was impressive for them. As Anna turned away, Calleigh let out a deep, relieved, and yet emotion-filled breath and sat back down for a moment.

Anna made very little progress before she turned back as she crossed the lobby, discreetly watching as Eric entered the room she had just left and took a seat next to Calleigh. She noticed her sister's eyes grow soft as they landed on Eric; it surprised her that Calleigh, who had always been sweet but extremely independent and a little rough around the edges, had let someone in far enough to affect her. That, along with the loving way with which Eric rested a supportive hand on Calleigh's thigh, almost had her believing in that stupid love crap. Almost.

* * *

Finally in the driveway of Calleigh's home, Eric dragged his forefinger and thumb over his tired eyes and then pinched the bridge of his nose. Headaches rarely, if ever, plagued him, but after poring over fingerprints and images on a computer screen all day that, along with the stress of the case, had the left side of his head throbbing. He blinked his eyes a few times as he made his way up the walkway, eager to see Calleigh and then, after a little while, the backs of his eyelids. It was already past eight; he'd worked for nearly twelve hours.

The sight that greeted him as he entered the bedroom made the wait more than worth it though. Calleigh was lying in bed amongst a half-dozen pillows, wearing her favorite little black gown – it was more like lingerie, really, Eric always thought, because it was silky, low-cut, hit her legs mid-thigh, and clung to every perfect curve of her body. Only now it showed off new curves, he realized, admiring the way the silky material hugged her growing belly. For a moment he wondered how she even got the gown over that part of her body, but that thought was quickly replaced because he was transfixed by how beautiful, adorable, and sexy she looked all at once.

If that hadn't been enough, the fact that she had a pint of what looked to be chocolate fudge brownie ice cream balanced between her knees behind a ballistics textbook had him smiling.

"Hey!" she let out enthusiastically at the sight of him, turning the spoon upside down to leave remnants of that scoop on her tongue. Calleigh on a sugar-high was something he was rarely privy to.

"Hey," he echoed, chuckling. "What happened to your 'no bad foods' thing?" He eyed her playfully as he set his kit on the dresser and climbed into bed fully clothed.

"Well," she began, the perfect amount of Southern lilt and pretend innocence present in that single syllable, "I really wanted ice cream."

"Hmm," he let out, feigning thoughtfulness as he eyed the delicacy that was far too rich for her normal tastes. "But you like vanilla."

"I just really wanted chocolate."

"I think they call that a craving." He chuckled again, running his fingertips over the silky curve of her stomach. "How did you get this on anyways?"

"Very carefully," she replied, eyes sparkling playfully as she lifted another spoonful of chocolate and brownie into her mouth. Her eyes lingered on him a moment, taking in his tired eyes and tense features. "What's wrong?"

"Headache." He closed his eyes as he rubbed at his temple, desperate to alleviate the pounding. "I think it's just from stress."

At that she reached up, smiling apologetically at his reaction to her cold fingers, and massaged the back of his neck gently. Leaning into her touch, he tilted his head back, sighing as her soothing hands worked out the tension in his neck. The more relaxed he became, the more the throbbing in his head ceased.

Moving closer, he kissed the bare shoulder the thin straps of her gown left revealed and then rested his chin on her shoulder. "See, you're amazing."

"Better?" She grinned, her fingers still massaging his tense muscles as she absentmindedly set the ice cream and book on the nightstand.

"Much." Sighing, he wrapped an arm around her and drew her closer.

"Good." She surprised him then, by swinging a leg over his and sitting in his lap, straddling him. It was more a playful way of getting close to him than it was seduction, but the way his gorgeous eyes darkened had her aspirations shifting toward the latter.

"Oh. Hello," he stammered out, wondering if his tired eyes were playing tricks on him. But as his hands slid beneath the silky material and grazed the smooth skin of her thighs, he knew there was no way. His imagination wasn't _that_ good; Real Calleigh was so much better than Dream Calleigh.

He'd assumed she'd be drained from both work and family stress, but she was either on a sugar high or a hormone high and he wasn't about to deny either.

"Hello," she echoed, grinning playfully as her hands sought out the highest button on his shirt. Tugging on his collar, she pulled herself closer and brushed her lips with his teasingly, parting her lips just slightly. She tasted like chocolate and Calleigh and the combination was driving him crazy.

At his half-sigh, half-moan, she laughed lightly and pulled away. As she went back to work on his buttons, she dragged a trail of moist kisses up his exposed skin to his neck. Reaching his ear and slipping the last button through, she bit her lip, hands gliding over his toned abs. Feeling his muscles quiver beneath her palms, she smiled, feeling quite diabolical.

"Have any other…tense places for me to massage?" she whispered seductively, placing a lingering kiss on the shell of his ear.

"Keep that up and yes-" His breathing hitched as her fingers dipped below his waistband. "Definitely."

Fingers combing through her blonde locks, he cradled the back of her head and urged her lips back to his. He was quickly drowning in a sea of Calleigh – soft golden hair, smooth skin, the new taste of chocolate, and the familiar scent of jasmine.

He held her waist for a moment, hands then skirting to her back where he tugged at the tiny zipper. The gown loosened from her body, save for the part that hugged her protruding belly. He pulled at the material to no avail, finally giving up and chuckling against her lips.

Smiling, Calleigh somehow managed to gracefully shimmy the material off her body. His eyes were drawn to her stomach, again struck by the notion that this was really happening, that he and _Calleigh_ were having a baby.

The mood immediately changing from light and flirty to loving and meaningful, he drew his palm over the side of her belly before settling his hand back at her waist. He wanted to kiss her all over, paying special attention to her belly, and tell her he loved seeing her like this. He wanted to give her the ring he'd picked out for her months and months ago, and playfully argue about how many more children to have, but they weren't quite there yet. He knew she felt it; it was in her eyes every time he touched her stomach, every time his mother made a quip about them getting married.

She had opened up so much with openly admitting just how much she loved him and the baby, but there were still hurdles she couldn't effortlessly leap over. It was a process; talk about the baby and their future came much more frequently, but the progression certainly didn't happen overnight. There were still boundaries he wouldn't cross for her sake, not until she was ready and comfortable.

So he kissed her hands instead of her stomach, whispered "I love you" instead of "Marry me," and made love to her as though he saw his future in her eyes instead of telling her...

Two hours later they were nestled in a cocoon of blankets, warm and sated, her head on his chest as he hugged her body against his side. By her slow, rhythmic breathing he'd deduced that she'd fallen asleep, but a moment later she sighed, shifted, and drew herself closer to him. She always loved the afterglow – cuddling with Eric under the covers, their bodies still humming with pleasure, bare skin brushing against bare skin. She was completely relaxed, but with her calm state came time for contemplation. The weight of the day crept back to her, worries keeping her from sleep despite her exhaustion.

"Anna may move here," she finally told him. They'd only had a brief moment together after her sister had left, and she hadn't had a chance to divulge anything but the obvious fact that Anna was in town. Calleigh took a deep breath in and released it out in a controlled fashion. "I don't know how I feel about it."

Eric sighed, fingers slipping through the silky strands of her hair absentmindedly as he considered the possibility. Having family around would be great for Calleigh...if her family was like his - loving, supportive, and dependable. They weren't. He didn't know much about her sister, but he knew she was quite flighty. And unfortunately for Calleigh, Anna only had a sister when she wanted to have one.

"What would it be like if she lived here?" he asked, trying to get her to consider this realistically.

"I don't know," she admitted, her distended belly pressing against his side as she shifted, bare legs sliding against his. "Anna's a lot of fun...and she can be really sweet, but she's terrible about keeping in touch. Even if she were here in town, she still may not really be here with me, you know?"

"Yeah." Eric wished for the thousandth time that her family was different for her; she certainly deserved it. He slid his fingers through the length of her hair once more until his hand settled on her bare shoulder. "Do you think she'd change?"

Calleigh shrugged. "She's been this way since high school... Things always start out really great. We somehow see each other and have a great time, or we have a great conversation on the phone, and then suddenly she doesn't call, won't answer her phone, and literally drops off the radar. When someone gets too close to her, she cuts it off and starts over again somewhere else, with someone else."

"You changed," Eric pointed out, hoping she didn't mind the comparison.

"But I wanted to change, and I had you," she admitted, looking up in time to see his lips curve upwards slightly. "I know that I was stubborn about it because it was so ingrained in me and I didn't want to let anyone in, but some part of me still wanted to change... I don't know about Anna. She won't even acknowledge that our dad is an alcoholic, so she definitely won't own up to being affected by it."

"You'll just have to see then," he suggested. "Maybe it will be different this time, maybe not." His words were what she expected – neither false hope nor pessimism – and yet still reassuring.

Nodding, Calleigh lay her hand over his abdomen, her fingers skirting over his toned muscles. "She could tell I was pregnant."

"Yeah?" He raised his brows in surprise, not because Anna could tell – it was a little obvious these days – but because it meant they'd had a conversation about it. "How'd that go?"

"Not great," she admitted, recalling Anna's insincere congratulations and qualms about family life. She sighed, trying to keep the same fears from reentering her own mind. "But I guess it was better than I expected. She wants me to come to Darnell for our cousin's wedding." She turned slightly, resting her chin on his chest. "Us actually," she corrected, her smile half-nervous, half-sad.

"Us as in me and you…with your whole family?" He raised a brow amusedly. For obvious reasons, she'd never taken him home to "meet the parents."

"Yeah…" Her brows knit together in thought as she considered the experience. "I don't know if I want to go."

She didn't have to say it; he knew that she had worked so hard to come out of the emotional hole her parents had buried her in, and he knew that a visit had the potential to set her back a few months, if not more. He was certain she could recover fairly quickly, but it would still affect her for a little while.

"Would seeing your dad be good or bad for you?" he asked, her eyes closing as his soothing fingers slid over her shoulder to trace her collarbone. His delicate touch kept the anxiety from entering her mind and body, and she relaxed into his warm body instead of pulling away.

"I don't know," she admitted, opening her eyes again and shaking her head. "That's part of why I'm not sure if I should go." Being around her father rarely made her feel good. "If he's not doing well I'll be upset, of course…but even if he is, I'll just wonder how long it's going to be this time before he drinks again."

"Whatever you decide to do, I'm with you," he assured, lifting her hand to his lips to kiss her knuckles. She sidled up closer to his level, draping a leg over his lap and laying her head on his shoulder. "I'll go if you decide to go."

"You really don't have to," she told him, her eyes sympathetic. Eric had brought her into his warm, welcoming family; she felt almost guilty that she had nothing to give back in that aspect. He had already dealt with the emotional shortcomings and dysfunctions of her family through dealing with her. The last thing she wanted to do was put another burden like that on him. "It's probably not going to be good, and I don't want to put that on you… They're my family to worry about."

"And you're mine to worry about," he said decidedly, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear and leaning in to press his lips to her forehead.


	11. Bulletproof Weeks

Wow, thank you for all the amazing reviews! I appreciate them so so much. :) I hope you all like fluff... I thought it was time for some happiness in between all the angst, so here's a more light-hearted chapter. I hope you enjoy it! Thank you for reading. Reviews make my world go 'round, especially when I'm drowning in Latin translations and British Romantic Period poetry... *hint hint*

As always: Thanks to my wonderful beta, **restless-mess**. She rocks!

* * *

_I'm waiting for something_

_I've waited for now_

_For the rolling canyons of love_

_And I'm tongue-tied_

_And you're coming alive, coming alive_

_Sooner surrender_

_Then watch the last wall collapse_

_And sooner surrender_

_And our love will count for everything_

"Eric?"

The voice sounded far away at first as it tried to steal him from his pleasant daydreams. It grew more insistent and he turned toward his mother, handing her the dish he'd rinsed at least five times.

"I don't think I need to ask where you were just then, judging by that goofy smile," she teased, playfully smacking him with a towel.

"Sorry," he apologized sheepishly, reaching for the next dirty dish. He wasn't sure how Family Sunday had turned into a girls' shopping trip, leaving him as virtually the only one to help his mother, but he didn't mind. His sisters had coerced Calleigh into a shopping trip for maternity clothes and her hesitant but excited smile made a thousand dirty dishes completely worth it.

"Don't be," Clorinda assured, smiling. She had noticed the change in Eric early on in his relationship with Calleigh and she'd been so happy that her heartbreaker of a son had finally fallen in love. And now that he was starting the family he'd always wanted she was absolutely ecstatic.

"Eric?"

This time it was Isabel's soft voice calling out to him from the hallway. An amused smile graced his lips as he took in the sight of his disheveled little niece. Her lopsided ponytail was a testament to the tossing and turning she'd been doing in an attempt to nap. Her pink shorts were a little off-center and her top had ridden up her stomach. She blinked as she tried to focus on her uncle and grandmother, finally rubbing at her bleary eyes with a tiny fist.

"Hey Princesa," Eric greeted as he walked towards her and crouched down, pulling the hem of her shirt down into its rightful position. "What happened to napping?"

"I couldn't," she admitted sadly, then outstretching her arms up towards Eric. "I thirsty."

He lifted her effortlessly and rested her against his hip as he retrieved a no-spill cup from one of the cupboards. "Apple juice?"

She nodded enthusiastically and lay her head on his shoulder as he filled the cup. "When's Mama coming back? And Calleigh?" Taking the cup from him, she looked from her uncle to her grandmother expectantly. Clorinda smiled at Isabel's apparent fondness for Calleigh.

"Soon. Lunch is in thirty minutes so they better be back by then or your Mami's in trouble," Eric said, playfully tickling Isabel's stomach once he'd set her down on the counter. "Want to help us wash dishes? You can yell at me if I miss a spot."

Isabel giggled, clutching the cup to her chest as he tickled her mercilessly. "Okay," she agreed, lifting a hand to swipe away flyaway strands of hair to no avail.

Clorinda looked on adoringly, placing a loving hand on Eric's back. "You are going to be such a wonderful papi, Mijo."

"I hope so," he responded, smiling at his mother with only a hint of uncertainty in his eyes. He had definitely always wanted children, but that didn't exclude him from the anxiety and insecurity that pervaded every soon-to-be parent.

"Well I've always thought so," Clorinda assured. "I've been waiting for you to have children for a long time."

"I know." Eric chuckled, shaking his head as he scrubbed a ceramic bowl. "You never let me forget."

Clorinda shrugged innocently, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

They settled into silence for a few minutes before she asked, "So...when are you and Calleigh getting married?"

Eric locked eyes with his mother and sighed exasperatedly, though a hint of amusement was still in his eyes. He'd known this would be coming. Frankly, he was surprised he hadn't been grilled sooner; as supportive, understanding, and just generally happy his mother may have been about the situation, she was still a traditional Catholic woman at heart. All she ever wanted was for him to find a nice girl, get married, and have lots of cute babies...and preferably in that order, he knew. He had always seen himself doing things that way, too, but he was perfectly happy with the way his relationship with Calleigh was playing out.

"Whenever we're ready to," he replied evenly, handing her the bowl to dry. He wasn't mad about her interrogation, just a little annoyed with her traditionalism. His eyes drifted to Isabel, who was studying the designs on her cup, seemingly as uninterested in this conversation as he was.

"Mijo, you're having a baby. It's the right thing to do. And I know you would've married her six months ago," she leveled with him, her voice only part accusative and mostly soft. "A year even."

"Maybe," he admitted, his eyes softening as they always did when the topic of Calleigh was at hand. "And she would've pulled back or completely run for the hills," he added matter-of-factly, a hint of amusement in his tone. "I don't mind waiting for her, Mami."

"As long as you're happy," she conceded, though she still sounded somewhat disappointed. "You've just had that ring so long. I don't understand why you don't just ask her to marry you, Eric."

Eric sighed, drying his hands and resting them against the edge of the counter. "It's easy for us to think like that. We're big on family and happily ever after," he said smiling a little. "But Calleigh didn't grow up like that... Every time things seemed the least bit stable or every time she felt safe and happy, her world was thrown upside down again. She just needs time to prove to her that that isn't going to happen anymore."

Clorinda smiled understandingly and rested her hand atop his in an unspoken apology.

"You have a ring for Calleigh?" Isabel asked excitedly, suddenly understanding their grown-up talk. When Eric looked over at her, she was smiling excitedly with hopeful eyes. "You're gonna have a pretty wedding with flowers and get married?"

_Crap, _Eric thought. He had forgotten his little baby niece had grown into a little girl who understood rings, weddings, and marriage almost as well as princesses, horses, and butterflies. He would've been a little more concerned with entrusting his talkative niece with this information had Calleigh not already technically known about the ring.

"I hope so, Princesa," he told her honestly, smiling mischievously. "But you know what? It's our little secret. That means you can't tell anyone else, okay?"

"Okay!" she agreed excitedly, giggling as Eric lifted her into his strong arms again. "I like secrets. I not tell anyone." Her eyes were alight with excitement, thrilled with the knowledge that her Uncle Eric would trust her with such big news.

"Good girl," he praised, laughing a little as he kissed her temple. He hoped her determination would last.

At the sound of the garage door opening, Isabel was squirming in his arms, but had no intention of getting down. "Mama's back!"

"Let's go see her," Eric suggested, shifting Isabel onto his hip and holding her there with one arm.

They stepped onto the back patio just in time to see the girls coming through the gate, all three of them nearly weighed down with shopping bags. As soon as his eyes landed on Calleigh, he had to smile. She was in a light yellow sundress that she certainly hadn't been wearing earlier and she looked absolutely beautiful. Now that much of her anxiety had alleviated, he was starting to believe in that whole glowing thing.

"Hey," she greeted, smiling broadly.

"Hey," he replied with a certain softness, letting Isabel down to run after her mother. Looking Calleigh up and down pointedly, he grinned and met her gaze again, her eyes sparkling light green in the sun. "New dress?"

"Yeah," she said, laughing a little as she glanced down. "They made me wear it back here."

"I like it." Eric pried the handles of the bags from her hands, insisting on carrying them for her. She knew better than to protest by now, so she simply smiled at him knowingly.

Sliding the handles onto his wrists, he held her waist, making sure his sisters and niece were out of earshot before he leaned in close to her ear. "Looks easy to take off," he whispered, taking note of the halter-style dress that simply tied at the back of her neck.

Calleigh laughed, pressing up onto the tips of her toes to rest her forehead against his cheek. "Maybe you can test that theory out tonight," she replied seductively.

His sisters glanced back at them, smiling a little at the moment unfolding before them, and went on inside.

"I think I will." He kissed her hair and set the bags down so he could give her a proper hug, sliding his arms around her and pulling her close until her still rather small belly touched his. "So what'd you get?" he asked, nodding towards the multitude of bags on the walkway.

"They said I have too many work clothes, so they only let me get fun stuff." She laughed a little, looking up into his brown eyes that were flecked with gold in the sun.

"What kinda fun stuff?" he asked playfully, leaning over to glance into one of the bags.

"Not that kind of fun stuff." Playfully disgusted, she tapped his arm in admonishment and laughed. "Your mind is in the gutter today. I was with your sisters."

"Mmm, I guess that's true," he mumbled, burying his face into her neck to press kisses there. She genuinely giggled – somewhat of a rarity for Calleigh – and it only spurred him on further. His hands slid low onto the small of her back and his kisses trailed over her collarbone.

"Eric," she reprimanded, grasping at his forearms. "We're at your mother's house… Besides, I do believe this is how I ended up needing maternity clothes in the first place."

He laughed softly, reining himself in with a kiss to her temple. "I guess you're right…"

"Later," she assured, wanting nothing more than for "later" to be right now. But one of them had to be rational, she reminded herself, and obviously she couldn't count on Eric for that right now.

He smiled, sliding his hands to her sides as he leaned in, pressing his lips to hers just briefly. "Want me to put these in my car?" he asked, nodding towards the bags.

"I can help…" she offered hesitantly, still unable to just throw her independent nature to the wind.

He grasped all the bags in one hand, her offer respectfully and expectedly turned down, and he took her hand in his, kissing the back of her hand. He held her fingers as he began to walk away and at just the moment where they would've lost contact, she tightened her grip on his hand and pulled him to a stop.

"Hey," she let out, making him turn around. She smiled lovingly, squinting slightly with the sun in her eyes to altogether make a face he found quite adorable. "I love you." She squeezed his hand before releasing it, watching his lips curve upward in a silent response as he walked backwards towards the gate.

Clorinda wore a proud, adoring smile as she watched much of the scene unfold before her through the kitchen window. She hadn't meant to spy, but she'd caught sight of them a few minutes ago and hadn't been able to look away since then.

As steadfast as she was in her convictions, she had to admit that the way they were doing things still held a purity she couldn't deny. They were absolutely head-over-heels in love with one another, and that was really all she'd ever wanted for her son. Tradition is all fine and good, but sometimes fate has different plans.

As Eric left Calleigh's sights, her smile broadened and she smoothed a hand over the yellow fabric covering her belly. Her hand came to rest at the top of her bump and she looked down, still smiling.

Clorinda realized Calleigh wasn't coming in just yet. She was waiting for Eric, just like he would've waited for her…just like he _was_ waiting for her. And suddenly she understood.

* * *

As Calleigh lay cuddled up next to Eric in the large hammock strung up in his family's backyard, she was again struck by the realization that this was wonderful. His family was wonderful. _He_ was wonderful.

He was toying with the ends of her wavy hair, their legs intertwined, her belly pressed against his. With his eyes closed, he looked completely relaxed, not even fazed by the high-pitched shriek of delight – Isabel, probably – and the ensuing laughter from the house.

Calleigh sighed contentedly, resting her forehead against his t-shirt-covered chest again. She never thought she would find herself here – in love, having a child, and finally experiencing the comfort of a warm, welcoming family. Most of all, she had never anticipated being so happy.

It was all almost too perfect to process, and yet more and more she found herself able to sit back and simply bask in the glow of happiness.

When she thought of children and becoming a mother, a thousand negative feelings and memories from her childhood stirred within her, igniting a fluttering panic in her chest. But when she looked at Eric and thought of having a baby, a being that was half her and half him, that inextricably connected them, she was in love with the idea. She wanted lazy Sundays, cuddling with Eric and their baby in bed. She wanted bedtime stories and swimming lessons. She wondered whether Eric's recessive Russian genes would combine with her own to give their baby light eyes, or if his dominant Cuban traits would produce those chocolate brown eyes she always found herself so lost in.

And raising a child amidst his loving family was the metaphorical icing on the cake. They were the epitome of everything she never had and everything she would've wanted for her potential children, if she'd ever allowed herself to think like that. It still scared her often that this whole scenario she'd never allowed herself to want was playing out before her eyes, but most of the time now it just sent a warm happiness throughout her body.

"Oh," she let out suddenly, thoughts disrupted as her hand flew to her stomach in search of evidence of what she'd just felt. Eric was alert in an instant, looking her up and down with worried eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked, putting his hand over hers. "Are you okay? Is the baby okay?"

She smiled lovingly at his concern, glancing down at their hands and then up into his awaiting eyes. "Everything's fine… I think I just felt him move."

"Really?" Grinning, his hands began to roam over her belly in search of movement.

She frowned a bit, moving his hand to the right spot but doubting that he would sense anything. "I don't think you can feel it. I could just feel it inside, like butterflies…or like he was doing a flip or something," she explained, laughing a little.

Eric smiled, smoothing his hand over her bump as he looked at her adoringly. "So it's a he now?"

"Well we keep calling it a she," Calleigh pointed out, shrugging. "If it turns out to be a boy I don't want him to have a complex."

"Well I don't think she would be too happy about her mama referring to her as a boy," he countered, grinning playfully as he lay back down in the hammock. She looked at him in awe for a moment, loving the new nickname that had effortlessly slipped past his lips. It gave her butterflies – the good kind. His fingers absentmindedly traced the thin string of her yellow dress as she settled back in beside him.

"You want a girl, don't you?" Calleigh asked, resting her chin on his chest to look up at him. Eric loved his nieces and nephews all just the same. He spent equal time with all of them, taking the boys to soccer games and attending Adriana's gymnastics meets. And while Calleigh was sure he'd babied the boys when they were little, she also knew that Isabel and Adriana both had him wrapped around a finger.

"I just want a healthy baby and a healthy you," he told her honestly. His fingers skimmed over her skin and she sighed contentedly.

Her lips curved upward slightly and she agreed, "Me too."

"If it ever seems like I want a girl it's just because I want a little you," he admitted. "With green eyes and blonde hair and cute little legs," he whispered, now twisting her long hair around his fingers.

She laughed lightly, looking down at her short legs. "That's a great plan," she began sarcastically, "if you're hoping for our child to be vertically challenged like me. I, on the other hand, am hoping for a _tall_ child…with tan skin and dark, curly hair and beautiful brown eyes."

He chuckled, shaking his head disbelievingly. "I guess we'll see who wins in a few months."

"Yeah," she agreed softly, in awe of them being down to four months already. It seemed like forever to wait, but so little time to make the necessary preparations for such a big change. "I need to sell my car…"

"You love that car," he pointed out, suddenly feeling guilty. "You should just keep it. I'll help pay for another."

She smiled appreciatively at his helpfulness, but shook her head. "I have no need for that car anymore and I've had my fun with it," she told him honestly. "We can just get something else."

He was surprised that she'd gone from talking "I" to "we" and he smiled, releasing her hair and resting his hand at her side. "What are we gonna get then? A minivan?" he teased.

"Only if I can put a gun rack in the back." She smiled up at him innocently and he couldn't be sure she was kidding.

"Negative," he responded, not even having to think about it.

She felt his chest quake with laughter beneath her and she smiled. "Good…because you couldn't pay me to drive a minivan. Maybe an Escalade…"

"Oh, so you're gonna be one of _those_ moms," he teased, poking her side playfully. He was completely relaxed again, eyes closed as he playfully bantered with her and traced the curve of her hip.

"Do you know a mom with a 9 mil locked in the glove compartment of her Escalade?" she challenged, and he knew without looking that she was raising a brow.

Accepting defeat, he admitted, "No," and realized with a smile that he could probably never compare her to any mother he knew.

Isabel had crept up on them so quietly that Eric wouldn't even have known she was there had she not cast a shadow over his face. He opened his eyes, finding her grinning at him and Calleigh.

"Abuela needs you!" she told Eric, excited to deliver a message.

Eric sighed; he had been perfectly content to cuddle away the evening with Calleigh. And that plan did not include getting up. Reluctantly, he slid out of the hammock, bending down to cradle Calleigh's face as he kissed her forehead.

Before he had even left, Isabel was already trying to crawl up into the hammock with Calleigh. To keep them both from toppling over, he lifted Isabel in with Calleigh and she immediately settled in against Calleigh's side.

As soon as Eric was within the house Isabel was giggling. Calleigh shot her a puzzled look, which only dissolved her further into a fit of giggles. She buried her face in Calleigh's shoulder to hide her laughter, but her high-pitched giggles were a little obvious.

"Isa, what has gotten into you?" Calleigh asked amusedly. She poked her side playfully, which did absolutely nothing to put her laughter to rest.

"Nothing," she insisted. She took a deep breath and pressed her lips together in silence.

"Did Abuela really need Eric?" Calleigh asked, suddenly wondering if Isabel had sent Eric in for nothing. She wasn't usually a prankster like that, though.

"Uh-huh, she made me come," Isabel assured. Her focus lasted on that for about thirty seconds and then she was grinning again. She pressed her lips together again to no avail, for another thirty seconds later she was blurting out, "I know a secret!"

"A secret?" Calleigh asked, getting excited for Isa's benefit. "Can I know it, too, or is it a big secret?"

Isabel took in a deep breath, clearly struggling with her loyalty to her uncle and her love of sharing secrets. "I not s'posed to tell." As if needing more physical constraint, she slapped both hands over her mouth.

"That's okay, you don't have to tell me," Calleigh assured her, rubbing Isabel's arm reassuringly. "Sometimes it's good to keep a secret, especially if someone asked you to."

"Eric did," she told her, steadily losing her self control. "He wants to marry you. He has a pretty ring."

Why Eric discussed this information in front of a four-year-old, Calleigh did not know, but she laughed a little. The knowledge that this was being brought up again made her stomach flip with nerves and maybe a bit of excitement

"A pretty ring, huh?" she asked, playing along with Isabel's excitement. "Did you see it?"

Isabel bit her lip as she considered it. "No, but all wedding rings are pretty…" She spoke as if it were the most obvious thing in the world and looked up at Calleigh with wide, emphatic eyes. "Are you gonna marry Eric?"

Lips curving upward slightly, Calleigh looked down for a moment and then smiled at Isabel. "What do you think?"

"Well," Isabel began with a heavy sigh, clearly having pondered this as much as a four-year-old could, "I was gonna marry him…cause he's really nice and funny and he never tucks me in too tight like Papi or Abuelo, and he always knows grape juice is icky…but I guess you can have him. He likes you."

"Well, thank you," Calleigh said, smiling gratefully. "I like him, too."

* * *

Resting her hip against the front of the dresser, Calleigh absentmindedly began her usual routine. She unclasped her bracelet and slid out her matching diamond earrings, tucking them away in her miniature armoire. Next came her necklace, which she delicately placed on one of the little hooks. As she reached up to pull her hair loose from the bun she'd rolled it into sometime throughout the evening, she caught sight of the small photo tucked between mirror and wood on Eric's side.

It was the sonogram. She smiled, recalling the various places he'd proudly displayed it – their dresser, his locker at work, his mother's refrigerator, his wallet… Ryan had spotted it in his locker and teased him because you couldn't even really _see_ anything. It was a blurry profile at best, but it was everything to them. Even Ryan had retracted his earlier statement when Natalia pointed out that you could tell it had Eric's fuzz and emphatically pointed at his buzzed hair.

Calleigh laughed softly to herself as she untwisted her bun, letting her long hair fall down her back in loose waves. Resting the heels of her palms on the edge of the dresser, she studied the image. Tomorrow they would get a new one, and she was determined this time to let herself enjoy the experience instead of running scared.

She sighed contentedly at the feel of his hands gliding over her wrists and then settling over her hands on the dresser. Soon his chest was pressed against her back, the faint scent of vanilla gracing his senses as he nuzzled into her hair.

"Eric," she whispered as his hands slid up her forearms and then settled at her sides. She closed her eyes as she leaned back into him, letting her weight rest against his strong frame.

"Cal." He kissed the shell of her ear and brushed her hair over her shoulder with a delicate hand to press a chaste kiss to her skin.

"I bought a dress for my cousin's wedding today."

"You're sure you want to go?" he asked, lips brushing up against her cheek as he rested his head against hers.

"Yeah," she said softly, placing her hands on his arms while he held her. "Either way it goes, good or bad, I think it'll be good for me in the long run." She sighed, resolving to not think about the potential disaster. Turning in his arms, she took his hands in hers and smiled shyly. "So will you be my date?"

"Of course." He laughed lightly at her innocence, focusing on her bright eyes.

Tugging at his hands, she drew him closer and pushed up onto the tips of her toes to capture his lips with hers. His hands slid through her hair to cradle the back of her head, urging her even closer as he parted his lips for her. Her taste filled his mouth and her touch graced his skin, her fingers slipping beneath the hem of his t-shirt to glide over his abs. Teasingly, she drew her fingers lower and lower, brushing over his skin tantalizingly slow until her fingers reached his belt.

He groaned into her mouth, his own hands wandering, following the path of the tiny yellow strings of her dress to the back of her neck. Pulling at each end of the bow, he smiled against her lips at how right his little theory was. He pushed the fabric down, finding the zipper at the middle of her back and sliding it down until the material effortlessly slid off her body, pooling at her feet.

Before she could even slide the hem between her fingers to remove his shirt, he had scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bed. Months ago he would've thrown her down and pinned her in a fit of playful passion, but now he gently laid her back. She watched him with the same awestruck look she always did when he was overly careful or protective with her, biting her lip as he stood up to peel his own shirt over his head.

His muscles rippled and she tugged at his belt, playfully pulling him onto her until he covered her body with his. Holding himself up, he kept his weight off her, finding that he had to work much harder to avoid putting his weight on her these days.

"Hmm." He laughed a little, easing onto his side and watching her follow suit to face him. At her amused but questioning look, he told her, "He's growing." He trailed his fingers over her familiar curves, skimming over her ribs, down her side, and up again over her hip bone. Tracing the new curve of her belly, he followed the bottom of the swell and then placed his palm over her belly button.

"Yeah," she whispered, watching him with that same awe. They had gone from playful to meaningful in point-sixty, but she didn't mind at all. "Eric," she began, drawing his gaze from her stomach to her eyes. "I don't want you to hold back anymore."

The smile that graced his lips was contagious and she mirrored it as she urged him onto his back and climbed into his lap, straddling his thighs.

"Are you sure?" he asked, grinning as his gaze drifted from her belly to her green eyes, shining dark emerald in the dim light. "Because I love this," he said, fingers coasting over her stomach emphatically as he touched her bare skin. "I don't think I can keep my hands off you."

"You won't love it when I'm huge," she teased, though she was starting to doubt that with the awed way his hands were exploring her.

"I will," he assured, gripping her hips and urging her up onto her knees so he could press his lips to her stomach. It was such a small gesture, but her heart swelled and she thought she might die of happiness as he hugged her waist.

She rested her hands on his shoulders as he kissed her belly again and then slid her fingers into the short hair he'd decided to grow out after the "fuzz" comment. Raking her fingers through it, she smiled, catching the low whisper of an "I love you" not meant for her as his lips brushed across the skin of her stomach.

He held her sides, his kisses trailing up her body until he'd found her lips again. "I love you, Cal," he mumbled between kisses.

"I love you, too," she whispered back, fingers grazing through his cropped hair. When she pulled back she had unshed tears in her eyes and she shook her head, resting her forehead against his. "I'm sorry it took me so long to get here." She slid her hands down to cradle his face.

"It's fine," he assured her, running his fingers through a lock of hair that framed her face and then tucking it behind her ear. "I wanted you to be happy about this on your own terms."

"I am happy." She smiled, caressing the back of his neck as she met his eyes. "You make me happy," she said for the first time. "You're amazing."

Her eyes sparkled with words she wasn't saying, declarations that would remain unspoken for now. But Eric saw unbridled love and happiness in her features now, her apprehension slowly but surely dissipating. And that was something that simply couldn't be expressed in words, so he smiled knowingly, cupped her chin in his fingers, and brushed his lips against hers in an emotion-filled kiss.


	12. Ready

_Oh, it's your light_

_Oh, it's your way_

_Pull me out of the dark_

_Just to shoulder the weight_

_Cryin' out now_

_From so far away_

_You pull me closer to love_

_Closer to love_

_Cause you are all that I've waited for all of my life_

Calleigh froze in the hallway, manila folder in hand, as she caught sight of the woman – the _mother_ – being escorted out of the building in handcuffs. The scene tugged at her heart and her memories, especially as she glanced down the hall to find the little boy seated in a too-big chair, a social worker at his side. That was all they could do for now. They had to follow procedure.

His bright blue eyes landed on her, lips tightening into what little of a smile he could manage as he recognized her from the scene. Skeptical trust she knew all too well was present in those eyes and he blinked twice, keeping a curious gaze on her.

She was so entranced, so taken back, that when Eric laid a supportive hand at the small of her back she jumped slightly.

Tearing her eyes from the boy, she glanced to her left to find Eric at her side and smiled apologetically. "Sorry."

His touch was a mere affectionate brush against her and his comfort was gone sooner than she would've liked, but they were at work; he was being respectfully professional.

"You look like you just saw a ghost," he noted, looking at her with a bit of concern.

"Kinda did," she admitted, smiling sadly. Shrugging, she pointedly followed the woman with her eyes as the two police escorts signed out of the crime lab. "The father was abusive."

That was all he needed to know. He nodded slowly, watching her face carefully for emotions as she smiled sadly but reassuringly so he knew she was okay. Out of respect and trust he didn't press her for more. Smiling back supportively, he ran a hand through his short hair as he ducked his head a little.

"Heard you nearly bit Wolfe's head off today." He kept his head down, trying not to show any bit of amusement, but when he finally met her eyes again he was grinning. Hell hath no fury like a hormonal pregnant woman.

Calleigh pursed her lips to keep from smiling, glaring playfully at him. "I may have been a little…upset with Ryan."

"Understandably so, from what I heard, but I think you scared him."

Calleigh shrugged, making what could easily be the most innocent, adorable face he'd ever seen her make. She smiled and sighed then, turning a bit more serious. "It's just that I had to work so hard to shake all those gender assumptions. I'm pregnant and what, suddenly I'm the go-to person at MDPD for cases with kids? I'm a _CSI_, not a social worker. He called me away from my own case out to a scene halfway across the county just to have me coerce a child out of a closet."

"Yeah, he's gonna be paying for that one for a while," Eric agreed, chuckling a little. "But I'm not so sure the best shot in all of Miami should be threatening to kill co-workers."

Calleigh bit her lip; maybe her hormones had gotten the best of her…just a little… "Is he okay?" she asked, a hint of humor in her voice. She tapped the folder against her palm absentmindedly.

"I don't know for sure," Eric said amusedly, checking his watch as he noticed his suspect being led into an interrogation room. Calleigh nodded him along. "Heard you were kind of amazing with that kid though," he added, a knowing smirk gracing his lips as he walked away, playfully tickling her belly for a split second as he passed.

* * *

That now recognizable thump, thump, thump filled the room and Calleigh closed her eyes, leaning into Eric's touch. This time was so much different. They were better, closer, more honest. He was sitting right next to her exam bed stroking her hair, fingers occasionally brushing her temple.

At the sound of the heartbeat he was grinning and kissing her forehead affectionately. She smiled, placing a hand on his forearm as they waited for the doctor to record the beats per minute.

"Okay, moment of truth," the doctor joked, flipping the screen on and moving the transducer around.

Eric slid his hand down to thread his fingers with Calleigh's, both of them watching the screen intently. Neither of them were sure what they were seeing until the doctor circled a portion of the image and grinned.

"How do you feel about having a girl?"

Smiling excitedly, Calleigh squeezed Eric's hand tightly. "Very good, I think," she said, looking up at him expectantly.

"Amazing," he confirmed, rubbing his thumb over hers. "But also like I'm gonna have to buy a few more guns before she's a teenager."

"I think you'd better start your arsenal then," the doctor said, chuckling. "Because those are definitely girl parts."

"She'll be the most well-protected child in all of Miami," Calleigh assured, eyes drifting up to meet Eric's excited gaze. She had never been one for personal moments and affectionate gestures with an extra pair of eyes around, but Eric made her discomfort melt away. Smiling up at him in an unspoken promise, she raised their fingers to her lips and kissed the back of his hand. His face changed from that of an expectant father to an adoring partner and he smiled again, keeping his eyes locked with hers as he rested their hands at the top of her belly.

At the sudden _swoosh_ of motion their eyes were back on the screen, watching as a powerful pair of tiny legs kicked around. The doctor adjusted the transducer again and soon a full-length profile filled the screen, complete with the outline of a tiny nose and pursed lips. The baby moved again, fingers curling as she shifted her arms and legs again.

Calleigh sighed contentedly, watching the movements she could feel within her as she gripped Eric's hand emotionally. This was perfect.

* * *

Save for the dim lamp on the nightstand, the bedroom was bathed in darkness. She'd tried to wait up, but it was to no avail. Pregnancy made sleep come easily to her for the first time in her life – sometimes a little too easily. She hadn't even had a long day; Eric was the one who'd had to clock back in after their appointment to log a few more hours on a case.

Now, though, he was slipping into the dimly lit bedroom, not altogether surprised to find her buried beneath the sheets already. Face turned toward the pillow as she slept on her side, she had her hand curled up beneath her chin in typical fashion, but the hand resting protectively over her growing belly was a somewhat new development – one that made him smile.

He quickly peeled off his stuffy work clothes, leaving him in just a pair of comfortable boxers, and began to do what he'd wanted to all evening: crawl into bed with her. Slipping between the soft sheets, he gently wrapped an arm around her as he brought his back to her chest, marveling at her newfound ability to sleep through his homecoming.

By the time they'd bridged over from friends to lovers, the evils of their job – and her past, for that matter – had penetrated her so deeply that her unconscious mind could hone in on the slightest sound. His keys turning in her lock would awaken her. And then she'd slept through that, waking only at the sound of his footsteps on the stairs. Then it was his touch as he slid into bed with her; she'd startle and turn around immediately, having to take in his presence before she could relax against his body.

She didn't have to tell him she felt safe now; he could tell. It was in the way she slept peacefully even as he joined in her in bed, not waking until his body kissed hers and he ran a delicate hand over her arm as he kissed her shoulder. And even then she simply smiled, eyelashes fluttering slightly as she opened her eyes and reached behind her to cradle the back of his head.

She knew his touch so well now and had become accustom him in her home and in her heart.

"You're home," she whispered, her voice all soft and Southern.

"Mhmm," Eric mumbled, lips skipping over the strap of her little tank top to press a lingering kiss on her neck. "Finally."

"Get the guy?"

"'Course," he replied playfully, hugging her closer.

"Good." She smiled again, laying her hand and arm over his.

"You smell really good," he said, burying his face into her neck, deeper into a sensory overload of vanilla and Calleigh.

"I just showered," she told him, giggling as his scruff tickled her neck.

There were few things he loved more than Calleigh fresh from the shower – all-natural with damp, wavy hair. Except maybe _pregnant_ Calleigh fresh from the shower, he realized, running his hand over her bump.

"How is she?" he asked, both of them in awe over the fact that they finally knew she was indeed a she.

"She was very active during dinner," Calleigh answered, resting a hand over the bottom of her belly. "Your mom tried to feel, but she's just too small right now. You should be able to feel her in a few weeks."

"I can't wait," he said excitedly.

She turned in his arms then, cuddling up to him and entangling their legs. Gently holding her chin, he brushed his lips against hers once then twice before moving up to kiss the bridge of her nose. "And how are you?"

"I'm tired, but good," she assured, smiling. "Really good." Sighing contentedly, she gave herself over to his ministrations, relaxing as his hand rubbed the small of her back in a soothing motion.

"Are you happy about having a girl?" he asked, eyes flickering up to hers.

"Yeah, I'm really happy," she admitted, looking up at him. "I would have been happy with either, but I'm pretty excited about having a little girl…"

"Me too." He was grinning excitedly, even more so because she was, too.

"I always wanted an older brother, but I also like the dynamic in your family with the girls first," she said, thinking of how adorable she often found it that he was the baby of the family.

"First?" he asked to clarify. First implied there were more to come... His heart was already knocking against his chest at the possibility of having this conversation.

Realizing she'd finally voiced what she'd been feeling for a while, she met his eyes a bit hesitantly. "Well we can't have just one," she responded coyly, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "She would be lonely."

"That's true." Clearly she had thought about this. He looked at her in awe for a moment until he could gather his thoughts. "And how many more would it take?" His fingertips were now ghosting over her upper arm soothingly, occasionally sliding up to caress her shoulder.

"I don't know," she admitted, suddenly fascinated with trailing her finger in an invisible pattern on his chest. This was all a little terrifying to admit. She'd never been able to commit to much time at all with anyone until Eric, let alone a lifetime complete with children. Even though it was what she wanted, it was still crazy to admit aloud…but she was ready to. She wanted to.

He didn't want to push her, especially with a family function looming over her, so he didn't. Instead he twirled a lock of her long blonde hair as she lay back down beside him, hoping against all genetics their baby would somehow look just like her.

She thoroughly surprised him a moment later by answering, "Maybe two more. I always wanted three if I had kids…" Turning, she smiled at him shyly but her eyes were sparkling.

"Three is a good number," he agreed, smirking playfully. "So's four…or five…"

"Okay," Caleigh agreed playfully, a yawn masking her words. "You can pop out those last two."

Chuckling, Eric conceded. "Like I said…three's good."

She shifted slightly to use his arm as a pillow and, upon finding herself that much closer, brushed her lips against his in a lazy, sleepy kiss. He cradled her in his arms and rested his nose against hers for a moment.

"You should get some sleep," he soothed, rubbing her upper arm encouragingly.

She mumbled an agreeable "mmm," but sleep was not something she was ready to succumb to just yet. She was enjoying this too much – the playful talk about their future, him cradling her in his strong arms, their legs intertwined, the warmth of his soft yet firm body. She wanted this forever.

At that ironic thought, she smiled, thinking of Isabel's "secret" and this elusive ring. She had heard so much about it, and yet Eric was still waiting. With a palm over his heart, she counted the beats, her eyes focused there as she whispered, "Eric…"

"Hmm?" He had nearly fallen asleep in those few short moments with his forehead tucked against hers, feeling amazingly comforted by her presence after a seemingly never-ending day.

"Where's my ring?" she asked, half awed, half playful.

"Your ring?" he repeated disbelievingly. They hadn't talked about this at all, not since he'd thrown it in her face during an angry conversation. Taken aback, he pulled away just far enough to meet her eyes. He wasn't sure if she was being literal or figurative, so he went with the former to play it safe. "It's at my condo…so you don't accidentally find it."

"Oh." She smiled, fingers gliding down his toned chest to his abdomen in a way that turned him on a little despite the conversation at hand. And because she was feeling assured and playful she asked, "When do I get to see it?"

He raised his brows, looking at her disbelievingly for a moment, and then chuckled a little. Her eyes were sparkling playfully, but there was an undercurrent of serious, honest excitement there. Shaking his head, he considered his words carefully. "You can't see it until you're gonna wear it."

"What if I want to wear it?" she replied in tandem, never missing a beat.

Even she was a little surprised. But she had known this for a while; she'd just had to work through the fear and uncertainty. She'd had to learn how to accept good things, especially good _people_, and she'd had to learn how to accept happiness. She was still terrified at times and doubt still crept in, but she knew now that she could be happy. There was no telling what the trip to Louisiana would bring, but she knew from experience that they would deal with it together.

He took her hand in his, focusing on their intertwined fingers as he smiled. Lifting his eyes back to hers, he asked, "Are you…proposing that I propose?"

She took a breath as if to speak and then held it, pressing her lips together and rolling them as she contemplated what he'd really just asked. "I guess I am." She smiled broadly, meeting his eyes as she pressed her palm against his, opening her fingers and rethreading them with his.

Their eyes locked meaningfully for a moment before he smiled again. Playing with her fingers delicately, he brought them to his lips and kissed them.

"I want to do something special for you," he told her.

Still smiling, she kept her eyes on his, his traditionalism amusing her. "You know I don't need that."

"I know," he assured, lips curving into a smirk. Of course he knew that; he just didn't plan to quit spoiling her with affection anytime soon. Dipping his hand beneath the stretchy fabric of her tank top, he ran his hand up and down her spine, imploring her to close her eyes. "You're tired."

"A little," she reluctantly admitted. Burying her face into the crook of his neck, she drew herself closer to him, her belly pressing against his.

"Sleep," he urged in a whisper, kissing her hair.

***

For the most part sleep had escaped him. At first her words had just made him deliriously happy, but after a while excitement was coursing through his body. He was far too anxious and excited to sleep, but he'd managed a few restless hours before giving in to his instincts around five-thirty in the morning.

He'd slipped from bed quietly and rushed across town, knowing he didn't have long before she'd awake with the sun. And now he was back, lying amongst a sea of down comforter and Calleigh with the soft light of dawn streaming in through the window. She had yet to even stir and he'd already been waiting not-so-patiently for twenty minutes.

Bracing himself up on one elbow, he continued to watch her sleep, the sunlight kissing her skin with a golden glow. It was only a matter of moments before he was reaching out, ghosting the back of his hand down her upper arm slowly. She breathed in deeper, turning further into the pillow to escape the bright light. He continued with tantalizing slowness, shifting his hand to trail a finger down the side of her tank top-covered ribs, into the dip of her waist, and up the curve of her hip. Pausing only a minute, he then followed the same path back up.

She smiled, eyelashes fluttering as her eyes adjusted to the light and focused on him. "Hey," she whispered, uncurling her legs to stretch luxuriously.

"Good morning." He was grinning, and she had no idea why until she caught sight of red and green among the off-white bedding. A single red rose sat next to her on the bed.

She smiled broadly, eyes lighting up excitedly as she pulled her legs beneath her to sit up. "What's this for?"

Her question was answered as she reached forward for the rose, feeling a slight but undeniable added weight on her left hand. Glancing down, she found a platinum engagement ring adorning her left ring finger, complete with a large round stone and elegant but simple side-stone settings.

"Eric," she began disbelievingly, meeting his eyes as he took her hand in his.

"Now you can see it," he whispered, kissing her knuckles.

Holding the rose in her free hand, she smiled broadly. He gazed back at her, taking in the sight of her all surrounded by blankets, fresh from sleep with bright green eyes and tousled wavy hair. She held the rose against her chest and pressed her palm to his, intertwining their fingers.

He could only marvel at her – all happy and glowing, their fingers symbolically interwoven, that ring finally on her finger.

"Yes," she breathed out before he could say anything.

He half-laughed, half-sighed, and ran his hand over the back of his head sheepishly. "If you're gonna ask me to propose you should at least let me do it," he teased.

"I'm sorry," she said immediately, and if she'd actually had reason to apologize she hadn't needed to; the apologetic but playful smile that graced her features did him in. Lifting up onto her knees, she shuffled through the blankets until she was sitting in his lap, straddling him. "Though I wouldn't really complain if your fiancée makes something easy for you…"

It was her turn to grin now as she wrapped her arms around his strong shoulders. He held her waist as she leaned into him, resting her forehead against his and closing her eyes as she relaxed in his arms.

"I like the sound of that," he admitted, smiling. Taking his time, he coasted his hands up her sides, over her bare arms, and across her shoulders until his palms rested along the side of her neck. He slid his thumbs along her jaw, and bright green met deep brown as she opened her eyes. Cradling her face in his hands, he brushed his nose against hers and kissed the side of her mouth. "Marry me," he finally whispered.

"Of course."

Tilting her head slightly to capture his lips with hers, she smiled into the kiss. Grinning, he trailed his hands back down to her waist, resting his palms against the sides of her belly. After a moment she laid her hands over his and he admired the sparkling piece of jewelry now finally adorning her hand.

With a contented sigh he met her gaze, finding absolutely no sign of hesitation in her familiar green eyes.


	13. The Long Way Home

**Author's Note: **Thanks to my savior **restless-mess** for throwing some thoughts out there and getting me to consider the chapter in a different way. She got me unstuck! Thanks to all of you for the reviews, and for being so patient. I'm really still not happy with this chapter, but with finals coming up it wasn't going to get better anytime soon and I wanted to get it posted for you all. I think I'm experiencing the curse of a multi-chap… Everything I write for it feels boring, monotonous, and sometimes downright awful, but hopefully I get re-inspired. =)

Just a warning: we're probably down to just a few chapters of this…maybe two or three and then an epilogue?

* * *

_Happiness is a firecracker sitting on my headboard_

_Happiness was never mine to hold _

_Careful child, light the fuse and get away _

'_Cause happiness throws a shower of sparks  
_

Calleigh leaned back into the couch, sighing softly as she let it support her weight, and propped her feet up against the edge of the coffee table. With a phone pressed to her ear she waited patiently, dressed in comfortable pajama pants and a soft grey t-shirt.

She smiled when Eric emerged from the kitchen to join her, handing her a steaming mug of decaffeinated tea that, judging by the smell, had the perfect amount of honey mixed in. Mouthing a "thank you," she settled in with it, taking a cautious sip.

Eric watched her carefully, eyes appreciatively raking over her pregnant curves. With a smile, he noticed that she could only tuck her legs in so far now before her belly interfered. He also noticed her discreetly arch her back and then shift slightly to alleviate some of the pressure. Vowing to take care of that later, he smiled and ran a hand over her ever-growing bump.

Calleigh smiled again, but her attention was quickly diverted when she finally heard a voice on the other end of the line. She replied with a nervous, "Hey, Dad."

"Calleigh Jane," he sing-songed, letting out an appreciative whistle. "It's been a long time since I spoke to my baby girl. How've you been?"

"I've been good," she answered after a silent chuckle and a roll of her eyes. "Great, actually," she corrected, meeting Eric's eyes and smiling. "How about you?"

"Oh, I can't complain. Got a few good cases I'm workin' on right now," he said, and she hated that she had to wonder if he was telling the truth. "You still chasing those criminals down?"

With a pointed glance down, she smoothed her hand over her t-shirt-covered belly and laughed. "Well, I haven't been doing a whole lot of chasing lately, actually, but I've been processing a lot of evidence."

"I always said you were too pretty to be a cop," he told her for the millionth time.

"No offense, Dad, but I think you're a little biased."

Ignoring her protest, he continued on, "You and your sister both. Most beautiful little girls in all of Louisiana…bright eyes, pretty smiles… Now, I hear you're both comin' to Kristin's wedding."

"Yeah," Calleigh confirmed, nerves beginning to stir up her stomach. She was closer to telling him, closer to having to deal with _this_ and them.

Beginning to feel her lower back go numb from the way she was sitting, she shifted again, this time turning to rest her back against the cushions lining the arm of the couch. She curved her legs up again, but Eric took her heel into his palm and gently tugged her feet into his lap. Sighing as his soothing fingers massaged her arch, she smiled gratefully. "Eric's coming, too…"

"You're still seeing him?" Interest perked, Kenwall found himself smiling. "I like that man. He's a good, solid young man, Calleigh. I remember when he helped me with that case."

Calleigh grinned, amused by the fact that she was thirty-seven and her father was still referring to her love interest as "young man." Knowing her dad, that wouldn't change anytime soon.

"Mmhmm," she agreed. "He's a wonderful man." Eric met her eyes, finding nothing but adoration there as he kneaded his thumbs into the soft ball of her foot. She sighed again, eyes trailing over his features – the peppering of stubble along his jaw, the curve of his lips as he smiled, the softness in his eyes when he looked at her.

"He has a good head on his shoulders," Kenwall continued, and as Calleigh's eyes continued to trail over her fiancé's body she had to acknowledge that the shoulders were not bad either. Now thoroughly distracted, she felt a strong inclination to peel the fitted tank off Eric's upper body, toss it aside, and glide her fingers over the well-defined muscles in his shoulders and chest… She bit her lip, hugging the warm mug of tea to her chest.

"So when are you coming in?" he asked, bringing her away from inappropriate daydreams and back to the conversation. She blamed hormones and her need for distraction for conjuring up images of shirtless Eric while on the phone with her father.

"Next weekend." Swallowing down the lump in her throat, she added, "Friday."

"Well, you just let me know your flight information and I'll be there to pick y'all up."

"Dad," she began, her defense mechanisms already kicking in. When had she ever been able to count on him to show up? Never. It was always hit or miss, and the misses seemed to come at the most disappointing times. "We'll rent a car, really. It'll be late anyways."

"All the more reason you shouldn't be driving after a long flight," he insisted. Calleigh had always found it difficult to out-reason a lawyer, albeit not impossible for her…but she was too tired to wrestle with a stubborn old man.

"Okay." She sighed, conceding but not getting her hopes up. "I'll e-mail you the flight info."

He began to launch into pleasantries and she sat there in silence, waiting for the nerve and the perfect moment to intervene. Eventually he was quiet, and as Eric's hand snuck up to her ankle and glided over her calf, she finally found her voice.

"Hey, Dad?" He was silent, which was his way of being attentive. "Before I get there… I wanted to ask you something."

"What is it, baby?"

She smiled at the irony. "I just need to know if I should be calling you Grandpa or Granddad…"

Kenwall felt his stubborn, calloused heart melt like it had the day Anna had been presented to him, all clean and unbelievably tiny, wrapped amid pink blankets. And just when he'd thought it couldn't happen again, it had with Calleigh, his youngest, his baby. Then his little princess had picked up a rifle. She'd been tough as nails since the age of six – earlier, really. She practically grew up on her own, went to college, and made something of herself despite all his shortcomings and mistakes.

"My little girl's havin' a baby?" he asked, awe coloring his every word.

"Yeah," she confirmed, smiling hesitantly and meeting Eric's eyes again. This was one of the many ways the misgivings of her childhood would always live on. She was _ecstatic_ about the baby, but her father would likely never know the full extent of her excitement. She'd learned long ago to protect her emotions, to guard them with everything she had in her. "I'm having a little girl, actually."

"Well," Kenwall began, absolutely smitten with his grandchild already, "I suppose she can call me whatever she wants to."

"It'll be a while before _she's_ calling you anything," Calleigh pointed out, "but good to know." Her lips curved upward just slightly and she took in a deep breath, then taking a calming sip of tea. "Anyway, I'll send you that flight information tomorrow…"

"Alright. You take care, sweetheart. Tell Eric not to let you work too much."

"I will," she assured. "Bye, Dad."

With a prolonged sigh she set her phone down, finally able to focus on the wonderful, delicate pressure currently being applied to her other foot. Eric met her eyes, finding apprehensive relief there.

"Sounded like he was happy…" Eric noted. Sliding his hands upward, he let his palms glide over her calves in more of a caress than a massage.

"Yeah," Calleigh agreed wistfully. "It's just… He can pretend over the phone."

Carefully resting her leg back down on the sofa, Eric slid up next to her, attempting to fit in the small space between her and the back of the couch. She moved to accommodate him, turning onto her side so she faced him.

"I won't know how he is until I get there," she continued. "And even then he'll put on a show."

Letting out a deep breath, Eric kissed her forehead, his hand cradling the back of her neck. There was nothing to say, really. He didn't want to give her false hope or prepare her for disappointment. He didn't want to say things he couldn't be sure of, so he simply rested his forehead against hers.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," he promised.

Despite everything, she found herself smiling, wondering when she'd suddenly become not alone in dealing with her family. She supposed it was the day she'd let him kiss her because from that moment on he'd been more than willing to deal with all the issues her dysfunctional family had brought on. But it was before that, really. He had always been willing; he'd just been waiting for her.

"We," she repeated, tilting her head in. Her nose brushed against his just before their lips touched and she smiled, pressing her palm to his cheek. Mouths melding together, they closed the distance between them. She intertwined their legs, her bare feet brushing against his calves, and he broke away to kiss the side of her mouth.

"Mmm," he mumbled against her lips. "You're stuck with me now."

She laughed softly, pressing a teasing kiss against his lips, and whispered back, "Other way around," before she brushed her lips against more insistently.

His hand settled at her waist and she cupped the back of his head, trying to bring herself closer to him, but her belly bumped against his awkwardly and severely impeded their proximity.

"Hmm," she let out thoughtfully, both of them glancing down.

"The start of many interrupted moments." Eric chuckled, his fingers creeping beneath her t-shirt to touch the bare skin of her stomach.

She narrowed her eyes at that comment, her hormone-driven body wanting nothing to interrupt what she so desperately wanted to start. With a fierce determination she sat up, and when he followed suit she pinned his shoulders to the back of the couch.

"You were teasing me when I was on the phone with my Dad."

He raised a brow as she straddled him, her hands immediately beginning to toy with the hem of his tank. Smiling, he held her waist and looked up at her amusedly.

"I was giving you a foot massage," he corrected. "Because you insist on wearing heels even though you're nearly six months pregnant and then you complain about your feet hurting."

"Without a shirt," she added, completely ignoring his explanation. "You were giving me a massage without a shirt."

He shook his head, laughing softly as she removed his tank that apparently did not qualify as a shirt.

Calleigh pursed her lips, obviously displeased. "I'm trying to seduce you and you're laughing at me…"

Her comment – and that face – only made him smile more, but he softened a bit, feeling guilty. "I'm sorry, Cal," he began, again slipping his fingers beneath her shirt to caress her sides. "It's just… You're very cute like this, all pregnant and hormonal." Emphatically, he moved his hands to her belly, marveling at the sight of her like this yet again.

"Cute?" She raised a challenging brow, but he was already making up for his slip-up by pulling her shirt over her head and pressing his lips to the newly-revealed skin of her chest.

Urging her down into his lap, he trailed kisses upward, reaching her collarbone and then finally gracing the sensitive skin on her neck. His hands followed suit, sliding up to toy with the lacy black straps adorning her shoulders.

He pressed a teasing kiss to her pulse point and felt her sigh. Grinning, he kissed her jaw and then just the very corner of her mouth, loving the little noise of protest she let out. His fingers raked through her hair, settling at the back of her head.

"And sexy," he mumbled against her lips. He looked up, admiring her dark green eyes and finding blonde hair everywhere. "Very sexy."

Laughing, she cradled his face in her hands, finally taking what she wanted as she pressed her lips to his. As the kiss deepened he pulled her closer, her arms now wrapping around his neck as her belly again pressed against his. Just as he'd parted his lips and let his tongue graze her bottom lip, he felt a distinct…something thump against his stomach.

He immediately froze, placing his hand on the side of her belly, and she pulled away to look at him.

"Did you feel that?" she asked, already smiling.

"She just kicked me…" His voice was filled with awe, and as he ran a hand down the front of her belly he felt it again against his palm – a faint but strong, sharp kick.

"Now you know how I feel," Calleigh said, just as awestruck as she laid her hand over his.

"Hi, pretty girl," he whispered, kissing her skin just over her belly button.

Calleigh moved her hand to the back of his head, softly massaging the base of his neck as she watched on. She was completely amazed by the happiness on his face as he ran his hands over her belly, trying to track the baby's movements, but this time she could easily share in it. And when he mumbled something about a strong kick and his little girl swimming the butterfly, she had to laugh.

After a few minutes he was _still_ entranced and she rolled her eyes, playfully annoyed. "Baby, you are not helping my cause here."

Eric chuckled, placing one final kiss to her belly. "Told you that'd be the first of many interruptions."

Calleigh had to smile. Placing a loving hand atop her belly, she admitted, "I can't say I mind."

"Just means we have to make the most of it before she's here." Smiling, he rested his forehead against hers, pointedly brushing his lips with hers and sliding his hands around to her waist.

Kissing him back, she trailed her hands down over those oh so perfect muscles in his shoulders and grinned "Bed?"

"Bed," he agreed.

* * *

Clorinda could tell something was off. Despite the warm glow of happiness radiating from both Calleigh and her son, and Calleigh's loving touches to her belly, Clorinda picked up on something else in Calleigh's eyes. Maternal instinct told her it was anxiety, and she was sure it had everything to do with this afternoon's impending flight to Louisiana.

That was precisely why she'd invited family over on a Friday morning for breakfast. She'd anticipated that Calleigh would need to be around family – a _real_ family that actually acted as such. She knew Calleigh needed to stand on some solid ground before potential chaos.

And it was helping. Calleigh quickly became lost in conversation as a distraction, but she drifted away easily, distance in her eyes. Clorinda found her perched at the breakfast bar, her eyes fixed on Eric across the room though her mind was obviously elsewhere.

"Estas bien, mija?" Clorinda asked, watching as Calleigh was seemingly swept out of her daze and straightened up.

"Yeah," Calleigh assured, giving her a not quite convincing smile. It wasn't a lie, really. "I'm okay."

Clorinda pursed her lips a little, taking in Calleigh's somewhat bright but distant, tired eyes. "You need to rest before the flight," Clorinda said decidedly, pulling a stool out for her from the bar. Calleigh smiled at her motherly intuition, obediently taking a seat and sighing as it all caught up with her – the hectic past few weeks at work, the impending trip. Clorinda watched her knowingly, but Calleigh, always pleasant, smiled up at her.

She knew Calleigh well by now – knew she didn't disclose such information easily. Calleigh was calculated and guarded, and though she obviously couldn't open up just yet Clorinda hoped that someday she could feel comfortable doing so with her.

"You know," Clorinda began carefully, hesitantly, "Nothing can make up for what you have lost, but you are more than welcome to consider us your family now."

Calleigh's eyes softened and her lips curved upward gratefully, incredibly thankful for this respectful reassurance. His family was so warm and unassuming, so unlike her own. Without official titles or even the knowledge of that ring on her finger, they had already welcomed her into their family with open arms.

"I hope the trip goes well," Clorinda added sympathetically. "But either way…we're always here. You're creating your own family now."

"Thank you," Calleigh said softly. In an uncharacteristic, open gesture, she laid her right hand atop Clorinda's and smiled.

Eric hesitated at the doorway, afraid he was interrupting, but Calleigh looked up at him, her touch slowly leaving Clorinda's hand. Clorinda followed her eyes and stood, touching Calleigh's arm affectionately once more to reaffirm her words. Encouraging Eric to come in, she exchanged a knowing look with her son as she left and he entered.

"Hey," Eric greeted, using that soft, endearing tone he used only with her. Smiling, he gripped her hips and carefully turned her around on the stool so she faced him.

"Hey." She grinned, resting her back against the bar.

"How are you doing?" he asked, spreading his legs to widen his stance and lean into her slightly. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he urged her to let him support her and she did, bringing her arms around his shoulders.

"Better," she admitted, swallowing down the lump of nerves in her throat. She let out a deep breath, hooking her hands together at the base of his neck. "Your mom's kind of amazing…"

"Yeah," he agreed. He didn't know the details – didn't need to, really – but they'd clearly shared a moment. As soon as the thought entered his mind, he was smiling and whispering, "Did she notice?"

Calleigh smiled. Save for secretive glances, pointed kisses to her left hand, and Natalia's "hooooly bling" comment, they'd managed to keep the engagement relatively quiet. They were deliriously happy, but it was more of a calm excitement they experienced, and neither of them were proponents of large public displays. The plan was to show up and let his attentive, inquisitive family do the rest.

"No," she answered. "No one has."

Eric chuckled, resting his forehead against hers as their eyes sparkled with their shared secret. "For people who have been hoping for this for a long time, they're kinda slow."

"Little bit." She laughed softly, and the genuineness of it eased him.

Sighing contentedly, she felt the anxiety coiled within her begin to alleviate for now. Eric tended to have that effect on her. Moving her hands to his cheeks, she felt his rough, unshaven face beneath her palms and urged his mouth to hers.

"I love you," she whispered just before brushing her lips with his. Engaging in a slow, loving press and slide, she left her anxiety behind, openly accepting comfort and love in lieu of uncertainty.

In silent response he kissed her back, thankful for the private moment amid all the hubbub of family members arriving. As if the overtly loving gesture while around so many family members wasn't enough of a stretch for her, he pushed for a deeper kiss and she laughed against his lips. And then, surprising him, she completely obliged.

Hoping to God his mother didn't walk in, she let him hug her waist tighter and pull her closer. He kissed her again and she parted her lips for him, his head tilting for better access.

A moment later she broke away, though, feeling the weight of a pair of eyes on them. Her eyes flickered to the doorway for a moment and she smiled, looking back at Eric.

"We have an audience…"

Intrigued, Eric looked over, finding a very giggly Isabel leaning against the doorway. He grinned, playfully walking over and tickling her mercilessly before lifting her into his strong arms.

"Que pasa, Princesa?" he asked, settling her against his side.

"Nothin'." She smiled, holding onto Eric's shoulder with one arm. "I got to leave school to come say bye," she announced proudly, paying only mild attention to her grandmother, mother, and aunts streaming into the kitchen. Instead her eyes were focused on Calleigh, her brows furrowing as she struggled between curiosity and manners. "You got bigger…"

"Isa!" Amelia reprimanded, though Calleigh was only laughing. "The baby got bigger, not Calleigh."

"Oh…" Seemingly embarrassed, Isabel ducked her head against Eric's shoulder as the room filled with laughter. All embarrassment was quickly forgotten, though, as Calleigh absentmindedly rested her left hand over her apparently much larger bump and Isabel immediately spotted the new addition to her usually bare hands. "You gave her the pretty wedding ring!" Isabel exclaimed, unknowingly drawing the room into an astonished silence.

Uncomfortable under the weight of everyone's stares, Calleigh looked to Eric and smiled.

"Oh my _God_," Christina let out, grinning excitedly as she walked over, took Calleigh's hand in hers, and glanced at Eric proudly. "It's about damn time."

Suddenly Calleigh and Eric found themselves surrounded by hugs and congratulations, accurate in their prediction that his family would make a big enough deal of the engagement without their help. And as Eric's mother leaned in, hugging the both of them, Calleigh had never before felt so much a part of something.

With that came the realization that visiting her hometown would be so much different now. Before, she had both nothing and everything to lose. She had no firm ground to stand on amid the chaos, only her own strength and a well-crafted set of defense mechanisms.

Now she had Eric and – as hesitant as she had been to accept it – a family. Now she had stability to cling to. Now, she realized, when she had _this_ to come home to the instability of her own dysfunctional family was a little less disappointing.


	14. Fireworks and Hurricanes: Part 1

I am incredibly sorry this has taken so long... It was really hard to write (you'll see why) and I was stuck on it for quite some time, but somehow this lil' Louisiana chapter morphed into a monster that will have to be two chapters, so that's something, right? :) Thank you so, so much to everyone who has reviewed this, and especially to those of you who have been PMing or commenting on other stories regarding when this would be updated. I really appreciate the interest, and I'm so happy that you're still so interested in it. Again, thank you!

* * *

_Happiness damn near destroys you_

_Breaks your faith to pieces on the floor _

_So you tell yourself, that's enough for now _

_Happiness has a violent roar_

_~The Fray – "Happiness"  
_

"Are you sure you're okay?" Eric cast his eyes on her again, drifting from her bright eyes down to her stomach and back up just in time to be glared at.

"_Yes._" She rolled her eyes playfully as they made their way from the landing gate. "I'm just as sure as I was two minutes ago."

"Okay, okay," Eric conceded unconvincingly, sighing as he focused his eyes on her belly. With casual jeans, a black v-neck that stretched over her stomach, and minimal make-up, she looked all natural, dressed down, and pretty. He smiled, concern eluding him for only a moment – a very short moment. "You really feel okay?" he asked hesitantly.

"_Eric_," she reprimanded for the fifth time in the past five minutes. "The doctor said it was fine to fly. I'm _fine._"

"I know, I know," Eric said, taking her hand in his as they trekked through the mildly busy airport. "It's just that they used to recommend not flying while pregnant." His eyes flickered to her again. "Is she still moving around a lot?"

Calleigh stopped in her tracks, tugging her hand from his until it mirrored her other resting on her hip exasperatedly. She stared at him as he stopped, sighed, and then retraced his steps back to her.

"I'm being overprotective again, aren't I?" he asked, immediately softening and speaking in a low voice that melted her through and through. But she was Calleigh and she played hardball, so she pursed her lips and raised a brow. He smiled adoringly, taking her hands in his and placing them in a less accusatory, more loving position on _his_ waist.

She rolled her eyes again, smirking, but took the bait and held his waist. "Just a little."

Eric knew he had her. Her voice was softer now, less playfully exasperated and more adoring.

Hands on each of her hips, he leaned in to rest his forehead against hers. He grinned and she laughed, knowing exactly what he was up to: he was making it impossible for her to be annoyed.

Tilting his head, he pressed his lips to hers to kiss her briefly, and in the middle of an airport she didn't even hesitate to let him. He rested his forehead against hers again and, feeling a distinct fluttering in her abdomen followed by a sharp kick, she moved his hand to her stomach.

"See?" she asked, their eyes never leaving one another's. "She's fine."

Eric sighed contentedly, smiling as he felt what was likely a little foot thump against his palm. It was beautiful, and what was even more beautiful was that Calleigh reached for his hand every time it happened. She was excited and happy, and more open about it every day.

"Amazing," he whispered, brushing his lips against hers once more before pulling back slightly.

Calleigh smiled again, their surroundings slowly coming back to her as she looked off to the side. Pressing her lips together thoughtfully, she glanced back up at him.

"He's probably not going to be here," she reminded him, already looking apologetic.

Eric features softened again and he rubbed her sides reassuringly. "What makes you say that?"

She laughed, but there was no humor in it. "Because he's my dad, and because it's a Friday night…"

Eric frowned, his brows furrowing as his hands stilled on her waist. It was beyond his comprehension how any man who claimed to love his daughters as much as Calleigh's father did could spend a night out drinking instead of picking up his own flesh and blood at the airport…but Calleigh knew her dad far better than Eric did. And Calleigh knew that her father's intentions were much more honorable than his follow-through. He'd likely thought about the visit all week and then stopped in the bar for "one drink" with the usuals before continuing on. And then one drink had turned into two and then five, and before he knew it his place at the bar would be littered with empty beer bottles and he wouldn't be able to remember what it was he was supposed to do tonight.

Calleigh sighed, forcing the many scenarios from her mind. Eric knew exactly where she'd gone just then and he looked at her with concern. He simply couldn't imagine this – never knowing what to expect with a parent, never being able to depend on them.

"Maybe he'll make an exception, maybe he won't," he offered realistically, shrugging. Resting his palm at the small of her back supportively, he walked forward with her.

"Yeah, well I already checked availability with the airport's car rental place, so clearly I don't have much hope for that." She met his eyes briefly, finding love and support there, and smiled sadly.

With a glance downward, Eric silently acknowledged that it might be better that way. He was proven right a moment later. As they filtered out of the security-checked passengers and into the public lobby area, her father was nowhere to be found.

Calleigh sighed noncommittally, already pulling out her phone and searching the signs for the direction of the car rental kiosk.

"Anna," Eric suddenly said. Calleigh was too busy scrolling through her recent calls to detect the surprise in his voice. She merely shook her head as she turned to him.

"I can't call her. I don't even know if she's here yet."

"Uh, pretty sure she's here," he said, imploring her eyes to follow his gaze. When she did, she was thoroughly surprised to find her eyes landing on her sister's face amid the crowd in the lobby.

Brows furrowing, Calleigh crossed the lobby toward her sister, a baffled smile gracing her features as she reached her. "What are you doing here?" Calleigh asked, looking her sister up and down as she simply took in her presence.

"Well," Anna began, smiling unsurely. "Dad gave me your flight info earlier this week, but I haven't been able to get a hold of him all night, so I figured I would come in case he…" She trailed off, pursing her lips as she searched for the words and avoided an idea she had never wanted to accept. "In case he didn't." After glancing back and forth between both sets of understanding eyes, Anna shrugged.

"Thank you," Calleigh said, smiling appreciatively. She was fairly certain this was the nicest gesture anyone from her family had extended in a long, long time. Since Anna's visit to Miami, they'd been talking more as Anna planned her move, but Calleigh had definitely not anticipated anything remotely close to this.

Feeling the warmth of Eric's palm on her back, Calleigh urged him forward a little. "This is Eric."

"Hey," Anna greeted, giving Calleigh a playful look of approval as she shook his hand.

Catching that exchange, Eric smiled awkwardly as his hand enveloped hers for a moment. Her hands were almost as tiny as Calleigh's, but her grip was less sure, a little less open and welcoming.

"Nice to meet you," he said politely, feeling every bit as awkward as Calleigh assured him this would all be. His warm nature had a way of easing everyone, though. "I saw you around the lab before, but uh…"

"Yeah, it's good to actually meet you," Anna finished for him, agreeing with a smile before she turned back to her sister. "And this is…?" she began, playfully motioning to Calleigh's stomach. "You're like three times the size you were when I saw you."

"Thanks," Calleigh said sarcastically, glancing down at her distended abdomen as a calm, happy smile graced her features. "I guess this would be your niece. I told you it's a girl, right?"

"Yeah." Anna smiled, immediately aware of just how much her sister loved this baby. Calleigh certainly wasn't overtly over-the-top about it, but Anna noticed the meaningful nuances – the happy, glowing smiles, the subtle but reverent glances at Eric. "You told me on the phone…twice, I think."

The adoring smile currently etching its way across Eric's features was unequivocal, Anna noticed with a bit of amusement. The knowledge that Calleigh had been so excited she'd told her twice clearly tripped him up, and amid his glance at Calleigh and her uncharacteristically sheepish shrug, Anna suddenly felt like she was interrupting a moment that ran much deeper than she could ever imagine.

Running his hand over the small of her back, Eric watched Calleigh try to hide the yawn that was undeniably escaping her lips. She would never admit it, but pregnancy had nearly quelled her erratic sleeping patterns and urged her into a more natural circadian rhythm.

Noticing the same, Anna glanced around for directions toward baggage claim. "So where are you staying?"

"Here," Eric said, slipping a piece of paper - some online confirmation, complete with directions – out of his back pocket.

"Homewood Suites?" Anna's eyes widened in recognition. "Good Lord. Apparently I should've applied for a job with Miami-Dade County."

"_Eric_," Calleigh playfully reprimanded, grabbing the piece of paper from her sister. "A suite? This is not a hotel room."

"I know." Eric ducked his head slightly, hesitantly meeting her eyes. "I just figured we may need a kitchen…you're pregnant, you need stuff. You need to be comfortable."

Combined with his previous over protectiveness, he was pretty sure she was going to kill him. Despite the appreciative, adoring glint in her eyes, she'd pursed her lips threateningly again. Sighing playfully, she glanced at the paper again, taking in the elegant logo and the pictures of modern, luxurious suites.

Anna peered over, following Calleigh's eyes. It was obvious the elegant suites were just a _little_ more than was necessary. Smiling, Anna's eyes danced between them both, easily getting a feel for the playful, loving, and deeply committed nature of their relationship.

"So basically," Anna began teasingly, gaze landing on Calleigh, "you're spoiled."

"Against my will, maybe," Calleigh challenged, only somewhat playfully, as she handed the directions back.

But Anna was all too aware of the way her sister's eyes lingered on Eric, the way she smiled appreciatively when she thought no one else was looking.

* * *

As he stepped from the steam-filled bathroom, Eric immediately detected the faint but distinct aroma of herbal tea and smiled. With track pants riding low on his hips and his skin still damp from the shower, he followed the scent to the kitchen.

It wasn't long before Calleigh felt warm arms snaking around her waist to encompass her. His bare chest pressed against her back, supporting her, and he rested his head on her shoulder briefly to watch her stir a bit of honey into the tea.

"I told you you'd need stuff," he said smugly.

"I don't _need_ it," she playfully insisted, leaning into him for a moment. After blowing on the hot liquid, she took a sip of the probably expensive tea and smiled. "But I am enjoying it. Anna's right, though… You're spoiling me."

Eric chuckled, kissing her shoulder as he pulled away only to take her hand. "And that's a problem?" he teased as he led her from the kitchen and into the living room.

She shot him a playfully resentful look as he settled in at one end of the luxurious couch, patting the space between his legs for her. After taking another soothing sip of tea, she set the mug on the coffee table and eased into his welcoming arms.

She leaned into him, her side cocooned against his warm, bare upper body and his arms settled around her, hands resting on her hip. Until that moment, she hadn't realized just how much she'd needed the comfort. Warm and loving, solid and dependable, Eric was everything her father wasn't.

They were here, in Louisiana, and her dad was MIA, which, in Duquesne-speak, meant he was at a little roadside pub losing track of time. She should've been disappointed, should've wanted to give up right then and there, but she'd expected this. Still, a tiny part of her felt slightly let down – that part of her that'd been hoping against all hope that her dad would be there, all cleaned up with clear eyes and truthful words.

Releasing the weighted breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding in, Calleigh turned her head to the side, resting her forehead against his collarbone and simply reveling in the warmth of his skin. His hand encompassed the back of her head, fingers delving into her soft locks as he massaged the tense muscles at the back of her neck.

"You're tense," he whispered softly, fingers bringing forth the most exquisite relief to her body.

"That's what I get for trying to sleep on a plane," she mumbled against his skin. He felt her smile, but the palm that came to rest just over his heart told him there was more to it.

With his free hand settling over hers on his chest, his fingers filled the spaces between hers, holding her hand from behind. Coming forward slightly, he kissed her hair and rested his chin atop her head.

"Disappointed?"

She breathed out, her warm breath grazing his skin. "No," she answered honestly – at least she thought so. But as the weight of the situation hit her, as she realized what solace she was finding in his arms after that teeny tiny part of her felt like a let down six-year-old again, she shook her head. "Maybe. Coming home has just never been how it's supposed to be."

"I wish it had been different for you," he told her, not for the first time.

Smiling sadly, she turned more into his chest, effectively tucking her head further beneath his. On a sigh, she uttered, "Me too."

The slow draw of his fingertips over her arm lulled her further into an easy, relaxed state of safe self-disclosure. She had never been one to put a voice to her thoughts or talk things out, but there was always something alluring about doing so with Eric. With light caresses and a warm embrace, he practically drew the words right out of her and she knew that in these quiet moments, the words she whispered against his chest would stay right there.

"I just can't help but think that if we were visiting your family, they'd _all_ show up at the airport and we'd be staying in someone's house." There was a hint of humor in her words, but also a tinge of regret. "I still can't believe my sister showed up. We'll probably need a rental tomorrow anyways, but it was nice to not worry about it tonight… She seemed to know that."

Eric gave her a moment, letting her acknowledge the magnitude of such a gesture, and then he smiled a little. His hand stilled on her arm, again pressing against the back of hers and threading their fingers together.

"That's the first time I've heard you call her your sister," he noted.

Shifting uncomfortably with the realization, she sighed. "That's the first time in a long time she's acted like it."

Confused and surprised by her sister's actions, yet still let down by her father's, Calleigh was quiet for a few minutes.

At the soothing way his hand coasted down her spine, she pulled back slightly to meet his eyes. "I'm okay, Eric," she assured, giving him all the answer he needed. Because when she tilted her head to the side a little and smiled appreciatively, he knew she was telling him the truth – knew she was telling him everything. She did that a lot these days.

"Okay." He smiled back, conceding and tucking his worry away for the moment. Deft fingers toyed with the hem of her – actually _his_ – shirt and were caressing warm skin in no time, his fingers splaying across the side of her belly. "You know," he began playfully, "I don't remember packing this shirt."

Glancing down, he took in the white MDPD lettering against solid black cotton, took in the way the sleeves came past her elbows, and knew without a doubt that she had packed his shirt for her use.

"No?" she questioned, feigning innocence. "Maybe you're gettin' old." Shifting slightly, she eased deeper into his embrace, sinking further into the comfortable couch and comfortable, familiar Eric.

He chuckled, mirroring the mischievous grin she gave him as she laid her head against his chest. "We are getting old," he agreed. "We're about to be parents."

"Hmm." That thought had her wrinkling her nose, then smiling. "Hopefully soon, too. I mean, not too soon, but I don't want to go over. I already feel huge."

Glancing down, he took in her still-small frame and subtle curves, not having the heart to tell her she was going to get a _lot_ bigger. Instead he traced a circle around her hip and brought his lips to her temple.

"I hope you waddle," he whispered teasingly, pressing a kiss there.

She laughed disbelievingly, shaking her head and pulling away from him to sit up slightly.

"Do you have a death wish?" she quipped, raising a brow. Memories of just what she could do at the gun range flashed through his mind, but the image of a very pregnant Calleigh was just too adorable to part with. "There will be no waddling."

"We'll see about that." He chuckled again, smoothing his hands up her sides.

Clearly he found this amusing, she realized, pursing her lips. "Fine," she uttered spitefully, all heated and Southern. If he was going to go all cliché on her… "I hope you faint in the delivery room."

It was only funny because he was so well adjusted, and because he had seen far too many things on duty to faint under a little labor stress. Still, the moment the words left her lips and the second the thought entered her mind, her eyes were pleading with his, albeit playfully.

"Please don't."

"Wouldn't dream of it," he promised softly. Cradling her face, he waited for her to shuffle closer to him again and then drew her lips to his.

Fingers raking through the short hair at the back of his head, she held him close, marveling at the effortless way with which he could calm her. They were here, in Louisiana, a place that held so many painful memories and unresolved tensions, yet everything between them remained effortless.

He could still calm her with a smooth caress or a playful comment, and she could still make him laugh with charming threats. Everything was light, easy as always, despite the potential chaos tomorrow could bring. For now, he would coax her from anxiety with the warmth of his soothing fingertips, would kiss away the tension, and that was more than enough for her.

* * *

Head already swimming from inquisition after inquisition, Calleigh was a little startled by the hand that brushed against the small of her back. As his warm palm settled there, though, she relaxed and turned just in time to meet Eric's eyes. She smiled reassuringly, though her eyes told a slightly different story.

Pointedly scanning the crowd at the reception, she shook her head before locking gazes with him again.

"I told you my family was crazy," she reminded him, pursing her lips slightly. She was thankful to be on the sidelines now, almost tucked into a hallway.

"Not…crazy," he said, a little smirk gracing his features. "Just very Southern," he decided, recalling the gossipy inquiries they'd received about their relationship, the ring, and the baby. Coming from a very large, very close family, he was used to that already. What he wasn't used to, however, was the polite distance everyone seemed to keep from one another that he knew was exclusive to Calleigh's family.

Everyone seemed to be walking on eggshells, especially around Calleigh and Anna. With every kind expression of happiness over the fact that they were doing well came an underlying sense of relief as though surprised they'd made it out so seemingly unscathed. Now he understood just why this was always so awkward for Calleigh.

His fingers zipped up and down her back, playfully sliding over the silky smooth material of her dress, and she smiled at him again. When she tensed slightly, his fingers stilled and he followed her eyes until he saw her father emerging from the crowd to head their way.

The ceremony had provided a safe haven. He'd been seated across the chapel from them, but had managed to catch her eyes a few times. She'd smiled, softening because he was her dad, because he'd been so proud the day he mastered a pony tail and because he'd taught her how to shoot a rifle when she was six.

And then from across the room, he'd tilted his head, taking in the way Eric easily, unknowingly stole her attention with a caress to her arm, a weaving of their fingers, and a whisper in her ear that made her smile. When she'd found him amid the crowd again, he was smiling adoringly at her from across the room, happy that she was happy. Her own lips had curved upward in a sad smile, torn between the satisfaction she knew her happiness brought him and knowing he had practically nothing to do with it.

That moment had been simple – understated, as most of their moments were. But now, amongst a bustling reception, they had every opportunity for awkward greetings and forced conversation.

"Calleigh," Kenwall breathed out as he neared her, saying her name like only her father could.

As he wrapped her in one of their uncomfortable hugs, she put her game face on and let out a pleasant, "Hey, Dad."

Pulling back, he placed his hands on her shoulders to look her over as he always did. He was completely unprepared, however, for the sight of his daughter six-months-pregnant, and for the implications that came with it. She'd certainly known about this for a while, much longer than he'd thought, and yet he'd remained out of the loop until about a week ago.

The reason why was obvious, and yet it still sucker-punched him in the pit of his stomach.

Calleigh smiled, albeit a bit guardedly, and placed a hand on Eric's waist. "Dad, you remember Eric…"

"I do," Kenwall assured, gratefully accepting Eric's hand in a polite shake. "It's good to see you again. Congratulations to you two. You must be excited."

With a reaffirming glance at Calleigh, Eric smiled and nodded appreciatively. "Thank you, we're very excited. I think as the days go by we're just getting more and more anxious for her to get here."

"Oh, I'm sure," Kenwall said, laughing softly. "It's been a while, but I remember that being the case." Eyes drifting toward Calleigh pointedly, he smiled. "How much longer until my adorable little granddaughter is here?"

Calleigh smiled, realizing what she'd probably always known – that her dad would make a pretty good grandfather. He'd always been full of jokes and ideas, had always rained down compliments on her and used cute little nicknames. But he'd also been full of empty promises and disappointment, and _that_ was undoubtedly the reason behind the discomfort that had stirred in her when he'd automatically involved himself in her child's life.

"About three months," she answered, swallowing down the lump in her throat enough to frown playfully. "Too long."

"Well," he began, and Calleigh had the feeling one of his enthusiastic but empty promises was to follow. "You just let me know when, and if you need anything I'll be there."

Proven right, she nodded after an awkward glance at Eric and forced a smile, grinning and bearing it like she always had and probably always would. Because he was her dad, and because as long as she never expected anything she would be okay.

"You know," he began, and again his tone had her steeling herself. "After you told me, I was thinking maybe I should move closer to Miami again. I'd been thinking about it for a while, with Anna about to move there, too, and now I really want to be around for this baby."

Though she was silent, he had yet to recognize her forced smile for what it was and continued on enthusiastically. "It would be hard to fly in all the time for visits and birthday parties. I want to be there if you two want a night to yourselves or something, too."

Defensiveness swelled within her, but it wasn't for herself. These weren't just her broken promises and disappointments anymore. She'd learned to suck it up and tuck it away, to never take anything from him at face value, and, most of all, to never expect anything from him. But how could a child do the same?

With that came the sweeping realization that she didn't _want_ her daughter to learn any of those things. She wanted this baby to grow up with the innocence she, herself, had never had, to live and grow in a world where family was dependable, promises meant something, and disappointment ceased to exist.

Calleigh couldn't trust her father to be a part of that world. He would swoop in now and then with affection and charming words that would win anyone over, especially a child. She would adore him and then just when she'd come to expect him, one day he just wouldn't show. That was how he'd always been and how he would continue to be; unless he stopped drinking, she couldn't trust him – not with herself and certainly not with her daughter.

"Where were you last night?" she asked sharply, surprising her father, Eric, and Anna, who'd come up during Calleigh's angry haze.

Kenwall looked at her questioningly, but she only shifted to stand straighter and cross her arms over her chest.

"You were all about picking us up last week," she reminded him, eyes alight with the same intensity she had when questioning suspects. "And then suddenly…" She trailed off, shrugging imploringly.

"Well I got caught up at work, sweetheart," he explained. She was amazed he had the audacity to _still _lie to her after everything, but he'd always been all about self-preservation no matter how many lies and half-truths he had to tell. "I already apologized to Anna this morning."

He glanced at his other daughter, but Anna's blue eyes only held the same hurt that Calleigh's had moments ago before she'd moved on to anger.

"Look, Dad," she began, leveling with him for once. "You can move back to Miami, but it's not going to matter until you stop this…because I can't let you disappoint her, too."

The moment the words left her lips, her stomach was swirling with the anxiety that came after releasing such sudden frustration. And yet, that frustration felt as though it had been building up over a lifetime, waiting for a chance to be brought to fruition.

Driven by both hormones and an instinct she hadn't realized she'd developed yet, she was completely overwhelmed. Between the loud reception across the room, her father, her sister, Louisiana, and the sudden realization that she had reached her boiling point with her father in defense of this baby she hadn't even met yet, it was all too much.

She only had to take a few steps before she'd ducked down a hallway, headed to God only knew where. The light streaming in from around the corner assured her fresh air was close by, though, and that was more than enough enticement for her. Finally, doors were within reach and as she pushed through she let the humid air wash over her, a surprising reprieve from the air-conditioned banquet hall.

This side-entrance faced nothing save for a parking lot, but it afforded her privacy and a railing to lean her back against. She was utterly unsurprised when, a minute later, the door rattled again and Eric stepped out there with her. It was foreign and wonderful to have him there after an incident with her dad, but as he drew closer she realized his touch had the potential to soothe her anger into something milder but no less emotional. His hands were an emotional trigger, and she had a feeling that as soon as they wrapped around her, her hormone-laden body would have her eyes welling with tears in no time.

"Don't touch yet," she warned, her eyes assuring him where her words couldn't. Despite everything, her lips curved upward slightly and her eyes softened as she took in his willingness to simply be there. "I need a minute, or else you may make me cry."

"Okay…" he whispered softly, hands settling on the railing behind her, his body hovering over hers as he smiled just a little. He gave her time, knowing that, even under the stress of a strained relationship with her father, this wasn't all her. She was dealing with new feelings, new hormone levels…

The aftermath of heated words was an entirely new experience for her, especially when it came to her father. She had bailed him out so many times, all the while biting her tongue for so many years that silence became a practiced art, an effortless act. When faced with putting this baby in the same position to be let down by him in the future, though, she'd snapped.

Taking a deep breath, she released it on a sigh and placed her palms over his on the railing, calm enough to chance a shift in emotions.

"Okay," she said definitively, and when his hands released their grip on the railing she threaded his fingers with hers.

Moving their hands to her hips, he held her close and kissed her forehead reassuringly. His actions further calmed her enough to rationally replay the previous events through her mind, and when she recalled the look on her father's face she knew she'd just changed something between them.

"That was bad," she realized, recalling her words. Like everyone else, she walked on eggshells with her father, careful not to set him off on a self-pitying drinking binge.

Tonight, for once, she hadn't been careful with him.

"I don't think so," Eric assured her.

As his thumbs soothingly brushed her sides, she had the fleeting thought that maybe he was right. She had only told the truth… She just had no idea how her father would handle it.


	15. Fireworks and Hurricanes: Part 2

Thanks to **TexasJen** for the beta. Status update: one or two more chapters, then an epilogue. Yikes!

* * *

_Happiness is just outside my window_

_Would it crash, blowing eighty miles an hour?_

_Or is happiness a little more like knocking on your door,_

_And you just let it in?_

_~The Fray – "Happiness"  
_

* * *

_  
_

It had been five hours since the ordeal at the reception, five hours since either she or Anna had heard from him. Where usually her father was buttering her up with flowers and promises, Calleigh had heard absolutely nothing. Truth be told, she wasn't sure if that was good or bad. It was just…different – a change, which was scary in itself for a multitude of reasons.

Tearing her eyes from the fancy hotel clock, she turned over in bed for what felt like the hundredth time that night. Sleep had been fruitless, and she'd long ago pried herself from Eric's arms with the hope that at least he could get some rest.

He'd remained close, though – close enough for the warmth of his body to calm a bit of her restless energy. That was how he'd been all evening, pushing her a little to talk but giving her just enough space to work through it or stop thinking about it as she pleased.

Now, though, she was tired of tossing and turning, tired of thinking and staring at the clock. Carefully, she moved herself closer to his sleeping form and turned onto her side, lifting his arm and placing it around her body until she was once again tucked into his embrace. He chuckled softly into her shoulder as he stirred, pulling her back to his chest as he secured his arm around her, effectively cradling her body against his. Just moments after his arm had settled across her stomach, he felt a distinct fluttering beneath her skin as the baby moved around, seemingly every bit as restless as her mother.

"I don't think she approves of your tossing and turning." He pressed a loving kiss to her shoulder and then nuzzled his face into the warmth of her neck.

"Sorry, baby," Calleigh apologized just before a tired yawn overtook her. Reaching up, she stifled it with her hand before laying her palm atop her belly. "I'm going to sleep now, I promise."

"Feeling better?" His voice was rough, sleepy. She smiled a little.

"Yeah." Sighing half contentedly, half heavily, she readjusted so he could slip an arm beneath her pillow.

He knew she was reluctantly giving in to the situation, but it was still such a valiant attempt at relinquishing control that he had to smile. Though she could be laid back, Calleigh wasn't necessarily a go-with-the-flow kinda girl. She was planned, calculated, and he was pretty sure that being blunt with her father had not been in her plans. He could practically sense the frustration and impatience in her body, but she simply breathed out, willing it away, and he watched her eyelashes flutter as she blinked in the dark.

She was a little distracted still, her thoughts with her family and her father. Eric thought this visit had the potential to set her back, to reawaken those fears she'd so vehemently pushed away. He'd almost expected it, really. They were back where it had all started, and with the same people. She'd been only slightly distant, though, and the way she'd tucked herself back into his arms assured him she was still just as open and warm with him. She was more relaxed now, too, her breathing evening out, her eyes closing.

"Go back to sleep," she urged, smiling when he settled in behind her and rested his head against hers. The warm, relaxing kisses he dotted along her neck eased her further until she finally succumbed to sleep.

The rest was short-lived, though, for an hour later the buzzing of her cell phone against the nightstand woke them both. She'd been in too light a sleep to become bleary eyed, so Calleigh easily reached for it to eye the screen. Louisiana area code.

"Hello." She felt Eric shift until he was sitting up beside her.

"Hi," the gruff voice replied with a hint of uncertainty. "Calleigh?"

The voice sounded familiar; she just couldn't place it… "Yeah," she assured, swallowing the sleep from her voice. "That's me."

"This is Keith…from Buddy's."

Oh. _Oh._ Suddenly, it clicked – the many, many nights she'd heard this voice over her home phone or dormitory line. They'd developed a sort of strange, awkward friendship over those years…strange because it was the product of sympathy over an alcoholic father and awkward because she hated that. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, bracing herself for the inevitable pity and regret that would be laced with his words.

"I really hate to do this, especially after so long, but I heard you were in town…"

"And my dad's there?" Calleigh finished, making it easier for him.

"Yeah." She heard him sigh. "I'm sorry. I got your number from his phone."

"Don't be sorry," she told him in an apologetic tone of her own. She was the sorry one. "I'll be there in a few.

"Damn it," she whispered under her breath as she dropped the phone onto the bed. This was what her father did. She knew that, and she knew he didn't need a trigger for it to happen. Still, it was impossible to not feel partially responsible. She'd given him every reason to drink even when he had every reason not to.

Feeling Eric's hand supportively gliding over the small of her back, she sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose for just a moment. She was angry, mostly at her father but a little at herself, too, and she needed to rein that in before she saw him again. Fortunately and unfortunately, she'd had her fair share of practice doing just that.

"Want me to drive?" Eric offered, already reaching toward the nightstand for the keys to the rental.

Smiling sadly, she closed her eyes for a moment before turning towards him and meeting his caring eyes in the dark. It meant a lot that he was so easily willing to get involved, but this was between her and her dad. "No, I think I need to do this." She touched his leg appreciatively, fingers curling around his knee for just a moment.

Leaning back slightly, she flicked on the bedside lamp and crawled out from beneath the covers. As she slipped into jeans, threw on a sweater over her tank top, and stepped into a pair of flats, she could practically feel Eric's unease radiating off him. In the dim light, she watched him step towards her and she tilted her head playfully, almost challenging him to be overprotective yet _again_.

"I'm not worried." The octave his voice had raised by the end of that statement told otherwise, as did his eyes.

"You are such a bad liar."

In a moment of lightheartedness, he held her waist and she smiled.

"Why would I be worried?" Eric was not very good at feigning nonchalance either, Calleigh noted. "My pregnant fiancée is running off to some sketchy downtown bar in the middle of the night."

"This is Louisiana," she leveled with him teasingly. "It's a sketchy _roadside_ bar."

To a guy brought up in Miami, that definitely wasn't any better.

"Oh, good. So there won't be any witnesses when they take you," he countered playfully. His real concern was over her driving all around under emotional duress and on next to no sleep.

"Eric." She laughed and then rolled her eyes exasperatedly, sighing as what she was about to do sunk in again. She straightened up to her full five feet, three inches. "I'll be fine. Don't forget your pregnant fiancée is a cop."

"Wouldn't dream of it," he whispered against her temple before brushing his lips there. "Call me if you need anything."

"I will." Pushing up onto the balls of her toes, she reaffirmed that with a kiss and took the keys from his hand.

Twenty minutes later Calleigh found herself in a familiar gravel parking lot, parked beneath an equally familiar neon sign. The nerves dancing within her stomach, however, were anything but familiar. In the past, picking up her father had only stirred anger and disappointment within her. Now, she'd complicated it. She'd been honest, and now her father, however intoxicated he may be, knew just how she felt.

Her earlier words to him hadn't even come close to delving below the surface, but it still felt like a tell-all. Besides the fact that she had always kept her feelings guarded from him, there was the ever lingering, disappointing knowledge that, in regard to his drinking, it wouldn't matter at all. He was an alcoholic, and a heated confession from her wouldn't change that. Deep down, she knew that, but it had always been so hard to accept because she liked to control things, liked to change them for the better as she so easily could at work.

She had to tuck that urge away and get back in the mindset, had to accept this role she had never asked for but that had been forced upon her because, as much as she'd tried to deny it in the past, she cared.

After a deep, steadying breath, she tugged at the door handle and slid out of the rental SUV into the thick Louisiana air. All eyes were on her as she entered – heads lifting, cue balls rolling to a stop – but she focused only on her father at the bar, sitting in that same damn spot after all these years.

Calleigh glanced around her surroundings quickly, taking in confused eyes, and then walked towards her dad. He was nursing a little whiskey to finish off the night and she sighed, laying an arm on the bar and leaning into it just slightly.

Catching her out of the corner of his eye, Kenwall turned, surprised eyes taking in the sight of her and then softening.

"Calleigh, sweetheart, what are you doin' here?"

She smiled slightly at the nickname and the concern in his voice. Even when he was drunk, he still loved her – maybe even more – and she still had a bit of a soft spot for him, though she didn't want to.

Pursing her lips a little as she studied him, she tried to judge just how much he'd had. After so many drinks, his mood could swing drastically depending on who was around and what they were saying. Fortunately, she knew just how to play her cards.

"Thought you might want some company." Smiling sweetly, she eyed the ragged patrons down the bar from him and lowered her voice. "Better company."

He chuckled appreciatively, but waved her off with a playfully dismissive hand.

"You don't have to worry about me, Calleigh Jane." That hand curved into a reprimand – a scolding shake of his pointer finger. "You have more important things to worry about," he told her with a knowing, defeated glance toward her growing midsection.

"Dad," she started softly, but then thought better of it. With a pointed glance around the bar, she laid her hand on his arm. "I can't really stay in a smoky bar right now, so maybe you could walk me out?"

"Oh, of course." At the realization, he sprung to life, digging money out of his pocket to pay off his tab and reaching for his blazer with a dexterity that was impressive after so many drinks. "We can't have you breathing in this mess."

After draping his blazer over one arm, he reached for her with the other, linking their arms as he dutifully headed for the door. Calleigh glanced back just once, meeting Keith's knowing eyes in a silent thank you.

"So, your place for some coffee?" She couldn't have it, but he didn't have to know that; it would sober him up a little before bed.

"Now, that sounds like a fine idea," he told her, still a little too inebriated to realize _she_ was leading _him_ to her car. Before he knew it he was settled into the passenger seat and the SUV was crunching across the gravel lot.

The long ride was quiet, sobering for him, awkward for her. As the alcohol began to slowly wear off, he became less carefree and her words came back to him – the same words that had haunted him all evening until he'd drowned them with Jack. By the time they'd reached his house he knew exactly why she was here right now, knew exactly what she was doing.

"You know," he began, making a vain attempt to mask his defeat. "I think I'm just gonna call it a night." He looked at her again, taking in her plain clothes, makeup-less face, and tired eyes, and he knew she'd been called upon yet again in the middle of the night on his behalf. Thinking of the baby again, he shook his head. She most certainly had more important matters to attend to. At a time like this, he should've been helping her, not giving her something to worry about. "You need to be in bed getting some rest."

"Dad…" Her eyes softened, ready to protest.

"No, you were right earlier, sweetheart," he admitted sadly, focusing on the dashboard. "She isn't even here yet and I'm already not helping."

Calleigh's eyes watered softly as he finally met her gaze. She couldn't deny it, couldn't act like it was no problem this time. Stupid hormones made it harder to rein in emotions these days, but she had so much practice that all it took was a deep breath and a moment to collect her thoughts.

"I know you'd be a great granddad." She looked down, toying with the keys as she turned them in her hand. "And I know she would adore you like I did when I was little," she added, smiling as she looked up to find him watching her with awed eyes. "But I still remember when you weren't at my tenth birthday party, and I remember when you couldn't get up one morning to go on that trip we'd been planning for months. I remember driving all by myself to come get you when I only had a learner's permit…because I was scared that if I didn't then you'd try to drive home."

She tilted her head thoughtfully, eyes drifting to the field just beyond his house. "I would love for you to be involved, Dad, but…" Trailing off, she sighed, shaking her head. "I can't knowingly put her through that disappointment, and I can't constantly worry about her well-being if we let you watch her for a day or a night."

Kenwall simply nodded, his lips pursed as he looked downward to avoid her eyes, and for a while Calleigh was afraid he wouldn't say anything at all. But eventually he shifted slightly and sighed, eyes landing on her once again.

"I understand, Calleigh," he said, and though she'd heard him talk a million different ways, she'd never heard him sound quite like this. No nicknames, no playful lilt, no dejection – just honesty, and a tinge of regret. The immediate, emotion-numbing effects of the alcohol had worn away, but enough remained in his system to chip away at his pride. "You're protecting her, like we should've protected you."

Smiling sadly, she simply held his gaze; she had no words for that. He was right and there would be no balm to either of their hearts. So long as he was drinking, she would limit his involvement and her trust. And this time, he wasn't even making excuses or promising to change.

"You'll make one hell of a mother, I'm sure of that." Now _there_ was the drunken flattery she was used to, and though the whiskey colored his words she knew he was still speaking honestly. "You'll keep me updated?"

"Of course."

He hesitated, as though about to place his hand over hers, and then thought better of it, reaching instead for the door.

"Goodnight, Dad."

"Goodnight, sweetheart."

It wasn't until he'd reached the porch that she finally took a deep breath to ease the ache in her chest.

* * *

The white-blue glow of a laptop amid the dim hotel suite led her to him. After quietly setting her keys on the table and kicking off her shoes, she crept toward his sleeping form. He'd fallen asleep on the couch, computer precariously balanced on his knees as he tried to wait up. When she was close, she recognized the Miami Dade county website on his screen and realized, with a playful eye roll, that he'd been catching up on the weekend's crime.

Hands gliding over his smooth shoulders in a half-massage, she wrapped her arms around him from behind. He awoke to a kiss on his cheek, hair tickling his skin and warm palms settling on his bare chest.

"You're back," came his murmur, velvety and thick with sleep.

"You're working."

"Just thought I might as well keep caught up while I tried to stay awake." He rolled his neck, sore from falling asleep at an odd angle, and selected "shut down" on the screen.

"And reading arrest reports was the way to stay awake?" Calleigh pried his hand away from his taut muscles and replaced it with her own, smiling when he eagerly leaned into her touch.

"Guess not," was all he could manage as her skilled fingers worked out the tension in his neck. Soon, though, he was seeking more of her, and he tugged her around the edge of the couch until she stood before him. Pushing the laptop aside, he wrapped his arms around her hips and kissed the center of her belly. Resting his chin there, he asked, "How'd it go?"

The corners of her mouth tightened, but she met his eyes, her fingers raking through his short hair as they continued to soothe the muscles at the back of his head. "Okay." She shrugged, shifting slightly to alleviate some of the pressure on her back. "I don't really know."

Sensing her discomfort and exhaustion, Eric urged, "Let's talk in bed." He kissed her stomach once more before he stood, hand lingering at the small of her back as he led her down the hall.

She slipped out of her sweater and jeans, and into his arms, letting him tuck their bodies beneath the covers once more. The way she settled against his chest and the way his arm curved around her body were both habit now. Despite frustration over the situation with her father, she found herself smiling.

He watched her – watched the awed way she smiled as her hand drew over his abdomen, settling at his hip. "What?" he asked, tucking hair behind her ear.

Pressing her lips together, she met his eyes. "It's just different… I've never come home to someone like this after dealing with my dad."

"Good different or bad different?"

"Good, I think," she admitted, brows furrowing just slightly. She wasn't used to talking and rehashing things, and it would certainly stir up feelings she hadn't processed yet, ones she'd generally just tuck away for later, if ever.

His knuckles brushed over her arm in a gentle, imploring caress and she closed her eyes, laying her head on his shoulder. "I don't think he's ever going to stop." She'd known that. She'd given up hope long ago, sometime in her early 20's, but seeing it firsthand again and witnessing it now, when he knew what he would be missing, stung deeper.

"He may not," Eric said regretfully. He wrapped his arm around her waist again, smiling when she tangled a leg with his.

"I should've known better than to give an alcoholic a reason to drink, though," she murmured against his skin. She knew her dad would've found one anyway, but it was almost impossible to keep her guilty conscience at bay.

"Tonight wasn't your fault, Cal. You know that." Though he knew her well enough to know she was logical and rational, he also knew her well enough to suspect that she'd taken on responsibility for some of her father's actions long ago. "He may be an alcoholic, but he's your dad. You shouldn't have to walk on eggshells around him."

"I know, you're right." Calleigh sighed, closing her eyes for a moment as her hand joined his at her waist. "He just seemed so excited about the baby on the phone. I guess I hoped that maybe having a grandchild would be good for him…at least for a little while."

"He was really happy," he reminded her, lacing his fingers with hers tightly. "But you felt like you had to protect her and I love you for that." She smiled sadly, lifting her watery, emerald eyes to his. "I'm sure he'd be an amazing grandfather, but it has to be on your terms, not his. And if he's still dulling disappointments with alcohol and drowning in his sorrows, then he's not ready to be sober. Nothing you do or don't do will change that."

She bit her lip and Eric knew that idea was both reassuring and terrifying to her. He kissed her forehead, soothing her need for control, and she smiled when he rested his forehead against hers.

"You know what makes _me_ happy?" She moved their intertwined fingers to the side of her belly, sighing in an attempt to rid herself of the stress that dealing with her father had brought on.

"What?" he asked, nose brushing hers, his free hand on her thigh.

"You're going to be amazing to her." Meeting his eyes meaningfully, she tilted her head, softly pressing her lips to hers.

"So are you."

"No broken promises, no disappearing acts…" She trailed off, smiling, and rested her palm against his chest.

"Never," he agreed, fingers delving into her hair as he cradled her head in his hand. He was amazed by her conviction now, amazed that they had come to this. "I think I like you all protective."

"Yeah?" She laughed a little despite the reason her instincts had kicked in.

"Yeah." Lips teasing the corner of her mouth with a light kiss, he mumbled, "I think maybe it was kinda sexy."

Laughing both at the thought and at his rather adorable hesitance to admit it, she shook her head. "I don't know where it came from."

He smiled, glancing down at the spot where she still had their hands linked over her stomach. "I do," he whispered softly, drawing her eyes back to his.

Her lips curved upward, a smile slowly gracing her features. With that, she easily realized why amid disappointment and painful memories she was feeling oddly, wonderfully at peace.


	16. The Start of Something Beautiful

**Author's Note:** I'm going on vacation tomorrow, so I apologize in advance for the mini hiatus with my stories that will probably happen over the next week or two. I made sure to get this up before I left, so hopefully it'll hold you over a bit!

* * *

_Your eyes are full,_

_Full of the future of us_

_The air changes as you look across_

_At me in that wondering way_

_~Brooke Fraser – "The Thief"  
_

_

* * *

_

_Two and a half months later…_

Ryan had to wonder, with all their gadgets and technology, why it was still necessary for him to lug a twenty-foot pole back to the lab. Surely there was some mini Mass Spec for on-the-scene trace or a laser scanner for fingerprints on the fly…because currently he was in the layout room, ridiculously oversized handrail stretched out almost from one glass wall to another. Considering it was a public handrail, they didn't know what exactly would be relevant, so he'd gotten stuck swabbing and lifting prints from the entire thing.

Amazingly, he was doing so with such focus that he hadn't noticed his visitor at the door.

"Ooh, what are you workin' on?"

Such enthusiasm was rare in tedious forensic work, so he looked up immediately, both surprised and completely unsurprised to find Calleigh in the doorway of the layout room. She was leaning against the doorframe, just barely peeking in, which was rather ineffective considering the "walls" were made of _glass_.

"Doesn't matter," he replied coyly, tossing another print lifter card onto the counter. "You're not supposed to be here."

"Oh, come off it, Ryan." She rolled her eyes, glanced down the hallway, and then discreetly slipped into the room. "Not you, too."

"Calleigh," he leveled with her, tilting his head. She was wearing a pair of stylish flats instead of heels for once, and with the realization of just how tiny she was came a momentary lapse in his fear of her wrath. Big mistake. With a gesture toward her nearly nine months pregnant belly, he reminded her, "You're about to pop out a baby, you're on maternity leave…"

"I know, and all Eric wants to do is feed me and put me to bed, so…" She sighed and shrugged, emphasizing her boredom. "Whatcha got? I want all the juicy case details."

"No, you need to be at home resting." With a growing sneaking suspicion, Ryan eyed her. "Why don't you go bug Eric?"

Calleigh was certainly good at hiding things, but the discreet drop of her eyes gave her away. "He doesn't know you're here," he realized, a wave of unease rushing through him. "Are you trying to get me killed? You have to leave."

"Ryan, seriously." And there was that whole terrifying wrath thing – her jaw set, one brow cocked, green eyes piercing his. "I spent my morning organizing bottles. I'm going _crazy_…and something tells me this whole process of yours would go a lot faster if you had someone to start running these prints through AFIS…"

Clearly, Calleigh was not cut out for maternity leave – at least not without a baby – and Ryan had to admit that having an extra set of hands would be a big help. Plus, he was risking his life either way. Eric would kill him if he let her stay, but Calleigh would have his head if he didn't. Sighing, he shook his head and set his print duster down.

"Well, at least follow protocol and put a lab coat on."

She would've at the door, but, well, hers stopped fitting over her belly about three weeks ago. Eyeing the rack, she grabbed a larger one that nearly engulfed her but easily fastened around her midsection. She eased onto the stool situated in front of the computer, but every time she tried to get a leg-up her belly either interfered or she ran into balance problems. Since when had stools become so freaking difficult?

Watching her, Ryan lifted a finger to his forehead, scratching his head amusedly. He didn't dare laugh, but the sight of graceful, poised Calleigh struggling to simply slide up onto a stool had him all but dying laughing on the inside. Instead, he stopped what he was doing and snapped his gloves off.

"Maybe, uh," he began, and then stopped, realizing this would be yet another touchy matter. He gave himself a moment to reevaluate his approach. "You'll be sitting there a while. Maybe an actual chair would be more comfortable."

She pursed her lips, waiting, and then smiled when Ryan came back wheeling a full-out luxurious desk chair stolen from the A/V lab.

"Thank you, Ryan," she said sweetly albeit reluctantly. Settling in with all the comforts of back support and height adjustment, she began scanning the prints Ryan had lifted and running them through the system.

A few likely irrelevant matches popped up, but she flagged them anyway just in case. The work was tedious and a little boring, but she was thankful for it. Sitting here, discussing the case and catching up with Ryan, was a nice break from not-so-patiently waiting. It was distracting and relaxing.

At least, it was until Ryan's strained voice told her simply, "Hide."

Calleigh glanced into the hallway, and upon seeing Eric headed their way from the lobby she spun her chair around and sunk down into it, attempting to hide with the high back of the chair as a shield. Unfortunately, with an oversized, blaring white lab coat, a head full of platinum blonde hair, and a stolen lab chair, she was a little hard to miss. When she heard his voice at the doorway, she winced.

"So, Wolfe…any particular reason you're aiding Calleigh in her strike against maternity leave?"

"Uhhhh, well…" Ryan struggled, swallowing down the barely manageable lump in his throat as his eyes drifted to Calleigh. "She's very scary."

Straightening, Calleigh slowly spun the chair back around until she was facing them and rolled her eyes, hormones and restlessness fueling her frustration. "I'm _bored_, Eric. What am I supposed to do, sit around and twiddle my thumbs until my water breaks?"

"Essentially, that's what the county is paying you to do," Eric reminded her, chuckling softly as he took a few steps towards her.

She glared, but that didn't stop him from resting his hands on the arms of her throne and leaning over her. Still undeterred, he pressed his lips to her forehead lovingly as she tried in vain to fight off the smile threatening to steal away her irritation. Just because she was pregnant and technically not on the clock did _not_ mean he could kiss her in their workplace and be all sweet with her in front of a co-worker.

"Well," she began indignantly, "the county should be happy to know they're actually paying me to run prints." Playfully brushing him off, she reached over him to grab another lifted print and place it in the scanner. He was going to try to make her go home and she wanted absolutely no part of that nonsense.

"Okay." He released a deep breath and stood, giving her he necessary space to work. He'd long ago realized that Calleigh rarely dealt with things the normal way, so why should it surprise him that she seemed more relaxed at work than she had at home, restless and bored?

"Okay?"

"Yeah, if you want to work then you should work."

She watched him shrug with a nonchalance that didn't suit his overprotective nature at all and eyed him, suspicious though still playful. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips when she detected the faintest traces of worry in his eyes despite his casual guise. Ever since the "full term" point in her pregnancy, he'd acted as though the simple act of walking downstairs would send her into spontaneous labor. It was both kind of adorable and really annoying all at once.

"I feel better here," she admitted honestly. "It's nice to be distracted from the waiting. You should try it." Smiling a little, she met his eyes with a raised brow.

"I am, actually," he countered, leaning forward slightly for emphasis. "I'm going out in the field for a bit. Frank and I are checking a lead." His eyes danced between Calleigh and Ryan, who had become an innocent bystander, and finally lingered on Calleigh. "Call me if you need me."

He'd disguised it well, but she'd still caught the insinuation, so she rolled her eyes, smiling. "Give it a rest. I have two more weeks."

The beeping of the computer drew her from teasing him and she sat up, interest piqued. Reaching for the keyboard, she brought up the criminal database and ran the name through, but it was a bust. Sighing, she scrolled to the end of the subject's unrelated history and gave up. When she looked back to her right, though, Eric had already left to let her throw herself into work, which was probably the sweetest thing he could've done.

Calleigh smiled, reaching for the next print and doing a double take when lifting the top print card revealed a post-it note. Her smile only widened when she recognized Eric's familiar handwriting spelling out the words "Love you…"

That was more than enough to make her feel guilty for being so hormonal and agitated.

Ryan was only halfway focused on what he was doing, his attention mostly captured by Calleigh's own discovery. He smirked a little, finally drawing a conclusion from the events he'd witnessed over the past year or two.

"You know," he began teasingly, and Calleigh could tell by the tone of his voice that she really did _not_ want to know. "You guys are kind of cute."

"And you are kind of dead," she shot back immediately, though the corners of her lips curved upward as she stared at her computer screen.

Another match popped up just in time to distract them, but it was unrelated. This was proving to be a mess.

After another tedious hour of lifting, running, and analyzing prints, Ryan was really starting to think this was leading absolutely nowhere. If the attacker had been wearing gloves or had somehow managed to not touch the rail during the struggle that sent their vic over the side of it, then this was a wild goose chase.

"Ooh, I think I finally have something." Calleigh leaned in, eyes bright and focused.

"What?" Ryan came up behind her, sliding into the tiny space between her and the corner desk to sit on the counter, eyes scanning over the rap sheet on screen. "Possession, possession, possession with intent to distribute… He could definitely be involved with the drug ring." He pulled out his phone to call it in to H. "Last known address?"

"1390 Biscayne Boulevard in Edgewater."

Ryan repeated the words to H, but when his gaze drifted back to Calleigh the case was the furthest thing from his mind. With anyone else she could've hidden it, but Ryan was a CSI; he was trained to notice the tiniest tics and expressions that might indicate a lie, a condition, or an injury… She had most definitely winced a little, and her hand had tightened around the arm of the chair.

"Calleigh," he said, voice already suspicious and very, very nervous. "Did you just have a contraction?"

"No." Sighing, she shook her head, brushing the thought aside as she scanned another set of prints. "I mean yes, technically, but that's been happening all week. It's just a big tease." She effectively quelled his worries with a smile, falling back into a scan, process, analyze rhythm as Ryan dutifully returned to the handrail.

A few minutes later, she felt a twinge of pain again and noted the time. Six and a half minutes later, another came, and then another six and a half minutes after that… This had happened before, though, and she'd gotten both their hopes up for nothing, so she simply sighed at what was likely yet another false alarm and patiently waited for it to ease off.

But an hour later, when a surprisingly sharper contraction ripped through her abdomen a mere five minutes after the preceding one, she couldn't help the audible wince that escaped her.

And that most definitely caught Ryan's attention again. His eyes fell on her, her mouth tightly closed as she simply breathed through the pain, her hand gripping the armrest as though it were a lifeline.

"Okay," she said as that bout of pain faded. "Now I might be having contractions."

"Nooo, no no, don't do that." Overcome with anxiety, Ryan set his gear down and snapped off his gloves, coming up behind her yet remaining a safe distance away. Labor was something he wanted no part of; it was loud, messy, and scary, and he was very OCD.

"Well, it's not like I can stop it."

The calm with which she simply cleared the stopwatch feature on her phone and settled back into the chair only heightened his anxiety. She needed to be in the hospital and out of his care, not relaxing into a comfortable chair in the lab

"What are you doing?" Ryan asked concernedly. "You need to go to the hospital." He scanned the hallway, looking for back-up.

"No, I need to time these and make sure I'm really in labor before I run off to the hospital with a false alarm." She sighed, now recognizing the dull blossoming of pain in her back as a warning. "And then Eric is going to take me."

Right at the five-minute mark, another contraction made its way across her abdomen. She hit the timer and closed her eyes, prepared for it this time. Both relieved and nervous, excited yet in discomfort, she dialed Eric's number.

Voicemail. She hung up, tried again, and reached his voicemail again.

"What's wrong?" Ryan asked.

"Voicemail." She dialed again, receiving the same response, and left a message this time.

"Maybe he's in that dead zone on the causeway…" Seeing Natalia in the hall, Ryan discreetly flagged her down, her eyes widening as she took in Calleigh, there, in the lab, braced against the chair as another contraction wreaked havoc on her body.

"Oh my God," she let out as she came through the door. "You're in labor? Where's Eric?"

"Not answering," Calleigh responded, breathing out as the contraction ebbed away.

"Here, I'll take you to the hospital." Natalia dug out her keys, all too aware of Ryan's weighted sigh of relief.

"I need to wait for Eric…" For one of the very few times in their personal and professional relationship, Natalia detected a genuine flash of worry in Calleigh's eyes. Calleigh was strong and undoubtedly ready, but Natalia knew she'd planned on doing this with Eric, on having him there as a calming influence.

"He can meet us there," Natalia assured. "It'll be a while, right? The doctors just need to make sure everything's progressing okay."

"Yeah." Calleigh sighed, allowing Natalia to pry her hand off the chair and into her own. "Okay."

Natalia urged her through the doorway, stopping short to turn and intently fix her gaze on Ryan. "Keep trying Eric, and try Frank," she ordered, a finger pointing his way. "Heck, try the police radio if you have to."

Ryan nodded, already digging out his phone and heading for the A/V lab. That he could do.

* * *

Eric _hated_ cell phone jammers, along with whatever criminal thought it would be a smart idea to install them in a drug trafficking warehouse to protect against security threats. He'd nearly had a panic attack when his phone regained service. Seven voice messages and twelve texts flooded his inbox, the last of those being two from Natalia and reading, "Calleigh is going to kill you," and, "Come to the hospital. Wear Kevlar."

Now, after making rather illegal use of the lights and sirens on his department-issued vehicle, he was running through the halls of Mercy Miami's labor and delivery ward. He knew nothing save for the fact that Calleigh was at the hospital. Somehow, calling someone seemed like it would impose upon his single-minded focus to get to her.

He slowed only momentarily at the sight of his mother and Natalia in the waiting room.

"How is she? Is she okay?" His eyes danced between the two of them, both smiling at his interrogation.

"She's fine," Clorinda assured, touching his arm affectionately. "Amelia is with her. Her doctor said she could walk around to help move things along, but she's waiting for you, mijo. Room 224."

Eric took the time only to squeeze her hand appreciatively and thank the both of them before jogging off again. Though he slowed when he reached the door, his heartbeat quickened to a maddening pace.

Pushing the door open, he took in the sight of Calleigh there on her side, hospital sheets tucked all around her small body. He was mildly aware of his sister by her side, but the relieved smile gracing Calleigh's lips as her eyes met his was stealing literally all his focus.

Just barely acknowledging his sister as he traded places with her, he took his spot at Calleigh's bedside. When she moved to sit up, he immediately stilled her with a loving hand to her side.

"No, stay," he insisted, leaning down to smooth his fingers through her hair and kiss her temple. He smiled when her hand found the back of his head, holding him there, and his lips crossed her cheek and the bridge of her nose until he could rest his forehead against hers. "I'm so sorry… There were cell jammers at the warehouse."

She shook her head against his, what little frustration she'd experienced earlier in the day easily dissolving in the midst of his comfort. The reassurance that settled over her was almost overwhelming. "You're here now."

"How are you?"

"Okay," she admitted, watching him as he took in the numerous machines she was attached to. "For another minute or two, at least."

Eric frowned at that, but as his eyes trailed down her body and settled on her belly, he couldn't help the smile that overtook his lips again. "How's she doing?"

"She's good." Despite the pain and discomfort she was feeling, she found herself smiling as her eyes settled on one of the monitors again. His eyes followed hers to what he now recognized as the place she'd been idly staring at when he came in – the glowing red numbers indicating their baby's heart rate. "Turn that dial."

Slowly, he did, his hands immediately returning to her as the sound of their daughter's heartbeat reached their ears, steady and strong. With one hand on her belly, his other fingers threaded through her hair, and his lips against her forehead, they simply paused there for a moment. Her hand curved over his on her abdomen as they reveled in the sound, in the knowledge that she was okay.

"So," he began quietly, "ready to get her out of there?"

"God, yes," Calleigh practically groaned, already scrambling to untuck herself from the bed.

She slowly shifted into a sitting position, and it was only then, as she tried to move around a little, that he realized just how much discomfort she was in. Moving put pressure on her back, yet staying in any particular position made her stiff and achy. Between that and the searing pain in her abdomen, she was having trouble shifting.

"You sure you're okay to walk?" He pushed the bedrail down and reached for her hips, gently helping her turn and scoot forward a bit.

"Yeah, I'll be okay," she assured as she unclipped the monitors from her abdomen just like the nurses had showed her. "Whatever will get her out sooner."

Smiling, he placed his hands on her knees and then tucked them beneath her thighs to gently pull her forward. Arms on the bed, she helped him bring her to the edge of the mattress, legs dangling on either side of his.

Just as she was ready to step down, though, she felt the telltale tightening of her abdomen and let out a strained, "Wait."

His hands immediately stilled and eased off her, his eyes concerned as hers closed tightly. Fingers finding his, she gripped his hand as the pain grew and spread. As her other hand fisted his shirt, drawing him closer, his free hand graced her back, soothingly sliding up and down her spine and urging her to rest against him.

She did, letting her forehead fall to his chest and her pain fall into his hands as he whispered and caressed her focus away from the burn of the contraction. _This_ was why she hadn't been able to imagine doing any of this without him. For all his anxiety and over-protectiveness, he was calm when it really mattered, when she needed him.

Breathing out shakily as the contraction waned, she released her iron grip on his hand, forehead still pressed to his chest. "Sorry I was mean to you earlier."

Eric couldn't help but laugh as he held her against him, fingers trailing over the hot skin at the base of her back. "You weren't mean," he assured, kissing her hair. "Just a little frustrated."

She lifted her head, smiling up at him, and with a light sheen of perspiration covering her forehead, her lips red from the force with which she'd pressed them together, and a hospital gown cloaking her pregnant body, he swore she had never looked better. She was glowing, her green eyes alive with just as much excitement as pain, her smile more than mirroring his.

"Ready?"

Nodding, she waited as he tucked his hands beneath her again to help her off the bed and into a thin robe and shoes. He took her hand then, watching her carefully for signs of discomfort as they slowly made their way through the door and down the hallway.

Halfway to the end of that hall, she was gripping him tighter again, waves of pain crashing through her body with more force than before. She bit into her lip, letting him cradle her against his chest again so she could brace against him.

"They really weren't kidding about this walking thing," she whispered through gritted teeth. If he hadn't been so concerned, he might've smiled, but as it was he could only help her stay up and fight through the pain.

"So what'd I miss earlier?" he asked, trying to distract her as he peeled long strands of hair from her damp skin.

Despite the pain, her lips curved upward a little. "Ryan all but having a heart attack in the layout room."

Finally, because the pain was easing, he chuckled at that. "Please tell me your water broke at the lab."

"No." She breathed out calmly as the pain gave way to a dull ache again. "I promised Natalia we'd get the upholstery in her Hummer cleaned…"

He tilted his head back a little to laugh again, imagining Natalia playfully bringing that up as a bargaining chip in the future. Waiting for Calleigh, he rested his hands back on her sides until she took a step forward again, walking with a bit of difficulty until the next contraction came.

They continued on much the same, walking slowly, pausing when a contraction hit her so she could lean into him for support. His arms would wrap around her, his words would distract her, and then they'd wait in silence as the contraction eased its grip on her.

After they'd looped around the ward twice, she was a mere ten steps from her door when her abdomen wound so tightly her vision blurred. The pain was so intense she could barely even reach out for him as it spread throughout her body along with a rush of pressure she hadn't felt before.

Eric dutifully and lovingly wrapped his arms around her, concerned when he realized her entire body was coiled so tightly she was trembling.

"Cal?"

She was too busy exhaling to speak, but as her pained eyes met his he knew one thing: they needed a doctor. Walking had worked far too well.

* * *

Eric was having trouble believing he had any part in creating the tiny life in his hands, solely because anything so tiny and adorable surely had much more to do with Calleigh than with him. But as his eyes danced between Calleigh's sleeping form and the seven pounds, three ounces of cuteness in his arms, he knew it could never be any other way – just him, Calleigh, and their baby. Because, as cute as she was, he couldn't deny that Alexa's skin was already just slightly darker than Calleigh's or that her dark, cloudy newborn eyes held the promise of hazel instead of light, clear green.

The stern scowl she gave when her tiny arm became trapped beneath her blanket was still cute, and it had him shifting right back to that all Calleigh theory… He grinned, safely supporting her in his lap with one arm while he freed her hand from the confines of the blanket. Blinking as though taking in what he'd done, she pushed her arm forward and flexed her fingers, almost amazed by her new surroundings.

Eric took the opportunity to press a kiss to her tiny palm. Her expression changed a little, face scrunching up and eyes settling on him, but she didn't seem to mind the strange sensation. In fact, when he pulled away she gave a little upset hiccup that turned into a soft cry of displeasure at the loss of contact.

Calleigh practically bolted awake, still too new at this to sleep through a noise or passing cry. She took in her surroundings in the dim hospital room, lit only by a few backlights, and relaxed slightly at the sight of the baby in Eric's arms.

"Is she okay? Is she hungry? When did I fall asleep?" she asked in one hurried breath, a little more panicked than suitable for her usual level of composure.

"She's fine." Eric smiled, still in awe, and shifted Alexa slightly. "You only fell asleep an hour ago."

Calleigh settled again, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Go back to sleep," he urged. Despite her body's sheer exhaustion, her excitement combined with the rush of adrenaline that labor supplied had kept her awake all evening. She'd only drifted off earlier watching him hold her, comforted by the assurance that she was in his arms, safe and content.

Sleep sounded amazing – incredible, really – but it had nothing on the sight before her.

Much to Eric's dismay, she sat up again, but with the adrenaline nearly out of her system she could truly feel the toll labor had taken on her body. The moment she tried to move, pain shot through what felt like every muscle in her lower half, radiating all the way out to her aching hips.

She froze, and though she tried to disguise her grimace so he didn't make her rest more, there was no hiding pain of such magnitude. His concerned eyes were on her in a split second.

"You okay? Do you need anything?" He stood immediately, watchful eyes flickering to the baby as he moved closer.

Smiling appreciatively, Calleigh braced herself against the bed as she shifted, finally making it into a manageable sitting position. She wasted no time in holding her arms out expectantly.

Eric chuckled, eyeing her suspiciously as he leaned in to ever so carefully place their daughter back in her arms. It had taken him all night to convince her to take her awe-filled eyes and hands off that baby; he should've known it would be short-lived.

Somehow, he hadn't quite been prepared to see her like this – all open and warm and loving with a baby. He'd been waiting on it for what felt like forever, and he had known she would be this way even when she hadn't, yet it still completely blew his mind to see her cradling and kissing this tiny little being as though she were the most precious thing in the world. And if the smile on Calleigh's face was any indication, Alexa was exactly that.

"Hi," Calleigh whispered, still in disbelief as she settled the baby in her arms. "I think you got even cuter."

"She definitely did." He grinned, admiring Calleigh as she took their daughter's small hand in her own with every bit of the love and care she hadn't known she would possess.

After pressing his lips to her temple affectionately, he rested his head against hers to watch them both. But Calleigh turned slightly, nose brushing his just before she captured his lips with hers. He let his hand slide along her neck, loving the warmth beneath his fingertips as they skimmed over her pulse point and slipped into her tousled hair.

A moment later she pulled away and smiled, eyes imploring him. "I want you up here with us."

With one wary glance toward the door, where a nurse could come through at any time, he tilted his head warningly. "Don't tempt me. You're going to get me in trouble."

"You won't get in trouble." Calleigh laughed softly. "I just had a baby. I can do whatever I want."

Eric shook his head knowingly. "I have a feeling you'll be using that one for a while."

"Of course." She eyed him – and the empty space behind her – expectantly.

"You're sore," he pointed out, hands carefully trailing down her side as he rested his forehead against hers. "I don't want you to have to move around."

She tucked the baby against her body more, freeing up a hand to settle over his. "I'll be fine."

Her fingers curved over the back of his hand, filling the space between his. The scene before him had already tempted him to become a part of it, but her touch was his undoing – never mind the following word that left her lips…

"Please?"

Calleigh very rarely said please to him like that, and when she did he was always pretty sure she was playing him, which somehow made it all the more irresistible.

Expectedly, he gave in, concerns about her sore body not at all forgotten as he carefully settled in behind her. But she was smiling as his chest met her back and his legs stretched out on either side of hers. And when his arms gently settled around her, resting mostly on her thighs, she relaxed back into him like she had so many times before.

This was different, though – deeper, more intimate and meaningful. Now, his arm slid beneath hers supportively, helping her cradle Alexa in their arms so that he could hold her, too. And when she winced while shifting to get comfortable, his hand graced her side with the gentlest caress. Lips following suit, he pressed them to the bare part of her shoulder in an attempt to draw away the pain. Calleigh sighed, melting into his body as he peppered soothing, loving kisses along her skin until he finally rested his chin there.

They both watched as Alexa blinked, seemingly taking the sight of them in as she let her tired eyes close once again. Calleigh bit her lip, a little overwhelmed by the day, by the feel of her daughter falling asleep in her arms.

"So how does it feel?" Eric asked, and she knew he was reflecting back all those months ago to when the thought of this had absolutely terrified her – not because she hadn't wanted it, but because she had thought she shouldn't.

Without even a hint of the fear that had held her back and with all the assurance she'd been missing before, she turned to meet his eyes.

"Amazing," she said, never hesitating, not missing a beat.


	17. Gravity

**Note: **Again, sorry for the wait. Fluff, especially baby fluff, is just hard for me to get motivated to write and I never feel like it's my best writing, but I know a lot of people wanted to see them at home together and getting settled, so this is for you...and because I couldn't end my story at an uneven 17 chapters! But I think I managed to tie some plot stuff into here, too. This is technically the last "chapter" of this, but I will definitely have an epilogue up. :) I hope you all enjoy it, and thanks for sticking along for the ride!

**Also:** This site eliminated most symbols being used as section breaks and only accepts the line breaks now, so the section breaks from all my older chapters (in all stories) have disappeared. So I apologize for the lack of distinction between sections. I'm sure it's really confusing to have the next line start a new section without warning, but I promise I will reupload all the chapters at some point and put new line breaks in!

* * *

_I'll be saved by love,_

_All the evidence sticking to me_

_Solid ground all my life_

_Be my gravity_

_~You Are I Am – "Gravity"_

_

* * *

_

Calleigh was in love with this. Despite late nights and early mornings, she really was. She was completely enamored with the way Alexa curled in against her chest to fall asleep, with how small every part of her seemed when she was in Eric's arms. She loved knowing that this baby was loved and cared for every second of every day, and she cherished the knowledge that they would get to teach her everything about the world.

Those were all things she'd never really admitted, even to herself, but she easily could now that she knew above all else she _wanted_ it, that it was all real and happening.

Still, the itching to handle guns and put away criminals, the drive that had pushed her to become a CSI, was slowly but surely returning. She missed being an enforcer of justice, missed the weight of a full holster on her side as she and Eric – or Natalia, or Ryan, for that matter – followed a lead.

She was ready, ready to make time for her own routine amid chaos, ready to take the steps she needed to in order to slowly transition from maternity leave to full-time CSI. She needed to run. She needed to get her body ready for work again, not just for work but for herself, too. It had been far too long since she'd felt the steady pound of her feet against stable earth. She missed the exhilaration, the zoning out of all but music, pace, and breath. Runs had been few and far between the past several weeks – not to mention nonexistent during the last few months of her pregnancy.

But that didn't explain why she was standing beside Alexa's bassinet, exercise clothes on, running shoes laced. For twenty minutes she'd been dressed and ready, but situated here, unable to leave.

As ready as she was, she was stalling, because there was this thing she did where she laid a gentle hand over Alexa's chest to feel the breath move in and out of her tiny, six-week-old body. It was reassuring, comforting, and adorable when her breathing would hitch for a sigh or hiccup. Calleigh almost couldn't leave for fear she'd miss something equally cute.

Sighing, she focused on the steady beat of Alexa's heart beneath her palm and very gradually eased her weight onto the bed, careful not to wake Eric. But he was too used to waking up at the slightest noise or movement these days so he stirred, blinking as he glanced at the time.

Dawn was just beginning to streak light throughout their room, making it easy for him to discern the sight before him. An amused smile immediately crept across his lips. He knew it had been over thirty minutes since her phone had vibrated with an alarm, and he knew that if she wanted to run at all before he left for work she needed to go, oh, about ten minutes ago.

Making his way across the bed, he settled in behind her, arms wrapping around her waist, chest pressing against her back. After pressing a sleepy kiss to her shoulder, he settled in against her and tightened his hold. He said nothing, just simply followed her gaze to the bassinet before them, watching, understanding.

"The way she _breathes _is cute," Calleigh said, rolling her eyes at herself and sighing.

He agreed with her – he _so _did – but instead of voicing it he simply rolled his knuckles against her side imploringly.

"Babe," he began, a hint of amusement in his tone, "go run."

"I know…" Sighing, she carefully removed her hand from Alexa's chest and placed it over Eric's around her waist. "Do you think she'll be okay?"

"For forty minutes while you run?" He raised a brow. "Of course."

"No." Calleigh laughed a little as she shook her head. "I'm not _that_ neurotic. I mean next week, when I go back to work. She's just so used to being here with me or with you."

Eric smiled, resting his temple against hers, studying Alexa's tiny lips and the beginnings of what would undoubtedly be gorgeous dark hair – darker than Calleigh's, at least. "I think she'll be fine," he assured, rubbing her side. "She'll be with my sister, not some stranger."

"Yeah." Calleigh nodded, still unconvinced. She knew this wasn't a competition, but somehow it still felt like she was choosing one over the other, especially right now when Alexa was still so dependent upon them.

"Having second thoughts about going back?" He didn't think so. She'd been asking about cases every day and he'd seen her eyeing her guns far too much for second thoughts.

"No," she answered as she turned to meet his eyes, hers open and honest but conflicted. "I need to work or I'll go crazy, but what if it's too soon? What if we can't balance this all?"

"We'll figure it out," he promised, hooking an arm beneath her legs to move her into his lap. "I don't see you giving up time with her anytime soon," he pointed out with a smile, drawing one from her. "But you've always loved your job. That won't just magically change now that we have her. We'll figure out a balance as we go."

"Yeah." With a relieved sigh, she rested her head on his shoulder and her hand on his arm. "You're right."

Still, she remained in his arms, her skin against his, her eyes drifting over towards their daughter again. She simply relaxed into him, and as she closed her eyes sleep deprivation almost drowned out her overwhelming need for a good run, for some time to herself.

"Cal?" he whispered after a minute or so, snapping her out of her reverie.

"Hmm?"

"Go run."

She only smiled, pressed her lips to his, and left the room with a sudden burst of energy that told him she absolutely needed that run. As if sensing the absence, Alexa stirred in her bassinet, soft, staccato cries piercing the silence a moment later.

"Hey, princess," Eric soothed, lifting her into his arms and cradling her in his lap. "Don't take it personally. She left me, too." Smiling, he watched as her little nose scrunched up in disapproval. "I know, I know…but you get to spend all day with her."

Shifting her in his arms, he held her up so he could press kisses to her tiny nose. His unshaven face must have tickled because the small hiccup noise she gave in response quickly turned into an adorable little laugh that made his heart skip a beat.

"See, you're too cute to leave."

* * *

At first, Calleigh had absolutely refused to bring the baby into the same building in which they questioned murderers and kidnappers, but after being assured it was a slow day she'd been powerless against Eric's rather charming persuasiveness. Still, she'd insisted upon waiting in the relatively private break room, past the lab's security checkpoint yet far away from interrogation rooms.

Her typical gun, holster, and purse combo, had been temporarily replaced with a baby bag and car seat, both of which were currently discarded on the table. Calleigh had Alexa tucked against her chest, head on her shoulder as she patiently walked around the room.

When the door opened, Calleigh looked up expectantly to find Natalia creeping in, likely sneaking a break at the first mention of the word "baby." Calleigh knew her suspicions were right when Natalia practically melted before her.

"Oh my _God_," Natalia let out. "She got even cuter." Walking over, she carefully slipped her fingers between Alexa's hand and Calleigh's arm, marveling at the way cute little fingers curved around hers. "How is that possible?"

"I didn't think it was," Calleigh admitted, looking back at Alexa. "But then she started smiling and laughing."

Natalia tilted her head a little, simply taking them in. Calleigh was practically radiating with this calm sort of pride, and Natalia suddenly realized she'd never considered just how incredible a mother Calleigh would be – quiet but strong, fiercely protective yet gentle, loving.

"Do you want to hold her?" she asked, and Natalia wasted no time in holding out her arms. Calleigh carefully placed the baby in her awaiting hands, smiling at how obviously smitten Natalia was.

The door swung open again, revealing Eric and Ryan, though Natalia barely even looked up.

"Hey, stranger," Ryan teased with a light, friendly touch to her shoulder

"Hey," Calleigh greeted, though her eyes were on Eric as he walked over. "How's it going?"

"Good." He smiled as Eric wrapped his arms around Calleigh from behind and kissed her temple – sweet but not showy. "But the new ballistics guy sucks. How's maternity leave?"

"A little boring compared to guns and bad guys," she admitted playfully, reaching out to straighten Alexa's twisted dress. "But she keeps it interesting. I miss chasing the bad guys a little, though."

"I think she just misses the guns," Eric joked, pinching her side lightly. "She keeps taking them apart at night and cleaning them obsessively."

Calleigh pursed her lips at that, playfully indignant, but Ryan and Natalia had to laugh.

"When do you come back?" Ryan asked, pulling at the door on the fridge and popping open a can of coke.

"Next week. Monday." She smiled, nervous to leave Alexa throughout the day but excited to return to work.

"What? No," Natalia protested, eyes playfully widened. "You have to stay home and have another one of these because good _God_," she said, watching as Alexa cuddled in against her and a tiny fist uncurled against her chest. "So cute."

Laughing, Calleigh shook her head. "No way. I think we have our hands full with her." As if proving a point, Alexa squirmed in Natalia's arms, thrashing her little legs and arms around as she tried to look at all the different people in the room. "Besides, I spent nine months in the lab, only getting my ballistics room once a week. I _need_ to be a CSI for a while."

"I don't know," Ryan let out decidedly, tilting his head as he watched the baby for a minute. He almost had to agree with Natalia. "She's kind of adorable."

"I know." Calleigh bit her lip, absolutely melting as Alexa's eyes searched for her at the sound of her voice. "Don't remind me."

Natalia smiled, gently rocking Alexa as she looked down at her. "Okay, I'm going to stop hogging you and give you to your Daddy before I steal you."

Chuckling, Eric eagerly took his daughter into his arms, surprised by how much he'd missed her since just that morning. So absorbed was he that he didn't even notice Natalia's not-so-discreet head tilt directed at Ryan, telling him to leave with her, but Calleigh smiled at it.

"We're gonna get back to work on that case," Ryan said hurriedly after catching on, motioning towards the door. "See you Monday."

"See you then." Calleigh watched them leave, sighing at the quiet that overtook them once alone. She leaned in, resting her forehead against Eric's arm and wrapping her arms around his waist.

Eric smiled, pressing his lips to her forehead this time and resting his head there as he whispered, "Ryan's right. The new ballistics guy sucks."

A little laugh escaped her and she shook her head, straightening up a little. "He can't be that bad."

"In comparison," he began, nodding towards hers, "yeah, he is."

"Well, I'll be back to fix everything on Monday," she joked, and he didn't have the heart to tell her that she may not want to joke about that.

"Can't wait. I miss working with you."

Simply smiling again, she pushed up onto her toes and cupped the back of his head to draw his lips to hers.

* * *

Eric was more than a little surprised to find the ballistics lab empty. Calleigh had to re-qualify for fieldwork, and there was no way she'd leave her sanctuary on her first day back.

Then he heard the rustling in the filing closet.

Brows furrowed, he walked to the back corner to find Calleigh balanced on a chair to dig through one of the top rows of boxes. Files were spread out on the floor beneath her in piles that made no sense to him but clearly did to her.

"Cal," he began hesitantly and she turned, running a hand through her long, straightened hair in frustration. "What's going on?"

"You were right." She sighed, tossing a file onto the floor and putting her hands on her hips. "He sucks. Sucked. Whatever, he's gone now, but he organized everything by date."

"Oh." Eric winced sympathetically. "Ouch."

"Yeah." She rolled her eyes, giving up her current method and deciding to take the whole dang box down with her. "Tell me how that makes sense. You could run a recently collected bullet through IBIS and it could match a cold case file. You link those by case number, not by date. _And_ he put all the recent stuff up top."

Nodding, Eric took in the overwhelmingly large amount of files she'd have to sort through and frowned. "I was going to see how your day was going, but maybe I'll wait until later to ask…"

"Maybe you should," Calleigh agreed, smiling and sighing exasperatedly. "It was good until I realized I'd have to spend the entire day completely revamping my filing closet." Setting the box in a vacant spot on a lower shelf, she hopped off the chair and walked towards him, shrugging. "And I kinda miss her."

Lips curving upward just a little, he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and drew her close. His arms wrapped her in a brief hug, fingers smoothing through her hair as he cradled her head against his shoulder.

"I know what you need," he whispered after a moment, voice playful enough to warrant him a suspicious look from her. "I brought you a present." Hand gliding down to the small of her back, he led her back into her lab and urged her toward the large layout table.

"Ooh, I so love you." Her eyes practically lit up at the large handgun waiting for her. "A .44 magnum."

Eric laughed at her response and reached for a case file from her temporary pile at one end of the table. "We got a warrant for it for a suspect in the Myers case, so we're looking for a match."

"I think I could take a break from filing for this," she said coyly, already slipping on gloves and a lab coat.

He watched with amusement as she slipped a few pieces out, checked for trace, made sure it was in proper order, and then double-checked the cartridges and chamber as though she'd been working with it for years. She knew it like the back of her hand, though that shouldn't have surprised him. She knew her way around almost any gun, especially her high-powered favorites.

After gearing up in goggles and ear protection, she grabbed a box of ammo and tossed Eric a set of ear muffs with a smile. All set up at the mini-range, she loaded the chamber and took her stance, breathing in deeply to savor the feel of her comfort zone. She'd really missed this, and as she stood in the dim light and aimed at the gel block, she was immediately calmed and centered again. Eric was right.

At the end of her next exhale, she squeezed the trigger, sending the bullet spiraling straight into the center of the gel block. She fired another just in case, watching as it lodged into the block a mere inch away from the other.

Sighing contentedly, she took her ear muffs and goggles off and turned to him, smiling. He had to grin at her easy smile and relaxed shoulders, now worlds away from the tense and frustrated Calleigh he'd walked in on. Slipping the hearing protection from his head, he set it down on the table behind her.

She crossed her arms over her chest confidently and leaned against the ledge. "Yeah, I needed that. I'll let you know if it's a match."

"Thank you."

"Thank _you_," she countered, raising a brow playfully.

He chuckled, affectionately touching her side before he left to return to work. "Good to have you back," he called out over his shoulder, making her lips curve into a smile again.

* * *

Complete silence had never seemed so amazing. After a nonstop day of processing evidence, totally reorganizing the ballistics filing system, and test firing weapons, she was exhausted. And he'd been running around just as much, if not more – questioning suspects, following leads, visiting ballistics a few more times than necessary. Their "lunch break" had been utilized to visit the baby, a ten-minute drive both ways that was more than worth it to hold Alexa for forty minutes.

Now, with the hectic day over and the baby asleep upstairs, they were laid out on the couch, effectively out of commission. They hadn't even managed to change out of work clothes yet, so Calleigh was sprawled atop him in her black pants and white ruffled top, her cheek to his chest as she simply let the calm overtake her.

His arms secured her there, wrapping loosely around her waist to rest at her back. Occasionally his palms smoothed up and down her sides, keeping her precariously close to the border between wake and sleep.

"Still awake?" Eric asked, voice low yet smooth.

"Yeah, barely." She shifted a little, wrapping a leg up over one of his and bringing their bodies closer. Yawning, she tucked her arms in against her sides, hands landing over his chest in a way that reminded him so much of the way Alexa cuddled up on him that he had to laugh. "What?"

"This is what Alexa does…on a smaller scale."

She laughed a little, concentrating on the drum of his heartbeat beneath her. "Maybe that's why I thought it would be so comfortable."

"Is it?" he asked, amused.

"Very." She sighed, relaxing in against him again. "You know what I was thinking?"

"Uh oh," he teased, earning himself a pinch to the side. "What?"

"I know this is terrible to say, but I'm so glad the pill is only ninety-nine percent effective. I don't know how long it would've taken me to get here otherwise."

As much as he agreed, he had to laugh a little. "That is kinda terrible, but I'm glad, too." He leaned down to kiss her hair, letting his fingers slide through it until he'd reached her back. "Though it probably would've happened the same way soon, anyways," he admitted, running playful fingers along her spine. "I would've pushed you too hard about marriage and babies, you would have gotten mad, and then I'd have gotten mad, and then we would talk it out…the same, just without the baby yet."

"Hmm," she let out decidedly, turning to rest her chin on his chest. "I like it with the baby." Smiling broadly, she gripped his shoulders to pull herself up, his hands sliding to her hips as she moved to rest her forehead against his.

"Good, 'cause so do I." Grinning, he tipped his head up to capture her lips with his. She kissed him back gently, fingers sliding along his jaw to cradle his face as she parted her lips for him. Easing up, she pulled back slightly to really take this in – the two of them, happily here with a baby and wholly committed to one another.

"It's weird," she said, arm tucked against his chest again as she looked away for a moment. "All this time I was worried that if I had kids I might understand why my mom was so closed off, that it was hard to open up or something."

"And now?" he asked knowingly.

"Now I think our relationship would be even worse," she admitted, shaking her head. "Because I don't know how you can have a baby and _not_ be all openly loving and warm." She smiled sadly down at him, meeting his eyes. "I know you tried to tell me that…and I knew. I just doubted I could be all those things."

"I knew you'd be amazing." He smiled, shifting to prop his head up against the arm of the sofa. Watching her, he tucked a lock of blonde hair behind her ear. "I knew how much you wanted this."

"I really did," she assured, finding the same understanding and awe reflected in his eyes. Tucking her body in against his again, she rested her chin on his chest. "And it's comforting to know we're giving her what I didn't have."

"Yeah." He let silence fill the air around them again, simply watching her and allowing their eyes to speak volumes before his lips curved upward again. "That and then some. She's going to be so spoiled."

"A little," Calleigh agreed coyly, eyes sparkling as she kept them on his. She remained there for a moment, realizing just how tired she was by how quickly she became close to drifting off. "Let's go to bed."

"Now?" He raised a brow. "It's nine."

Grinning, she sat up to straddle him, teasingly running her hands down from his chest to low on his abdomen. "I said, 'Let's go to _bed_,' not, 'Let's go to sleep.'"

He didn't hesitate to allow her to tug him up from the couch, his hands staying in hers as she led him toward the stairs. "I thought you were _exhausted_," he mocked, pulling her close by her hands until he could hook her around the waist and pin her body against his.

"Not that exhausted." She laughed as he tried to kiss her mid-walk while practically carrying her, both of them stumbling at the first step. "Shh, don't wake her."

"Oh, she so…better…not…wake up…right now," he let out between chaste kisses to her lips, lifting her onto the second step. Taking matters into her own hands, she pried his hands from her to quickly lead him up the stairs.

After all, they only had so much time. Life was crazy, but it felt good. Balanced. Right.


	18. Epilogue: A Prelude to a Lifetime of You

I'd been so excited to finish this that I didn't realize it would actually be kind of sad... I can't believe it's over! But I hope you guys enjoy the ending. It's pretty much an overload of happiness, but I think you all were probably expecting that at this point. :) Thank you so much to everyone who has ever reviewed, favorited, alerted, or even just read this story. I appreciate it so much more than I could ever express. All I can do is say "thank you" and just keep writing, hoping you enjoy the other fics, too.

* * *

_Reaching into your eyes,_

_I can feel you crawling through my veins_

_Like catching the first sunrise_

_Mesmerized_

_Sometimes when I'm with you_

_These feelings falling like a landslide_

_As both of our dreams collide_

_~Lifehouse – "Mesmerized"_

_

* * *

_

_A year and a half later…_

The oversized, sheer white canopy sloped up toward the sky, draping delicately over a wooden frame before billowing out on the other side. Another evenly spaced frame caught it, the pattern continuing on and on to house the small group of guests below until the material was tied in a design around a frame at each end. White lights were strung overhead, running up and down the length of the canopy, and additional lighting was hidden behind less sheer material above to keep the atmosphere dim.

Smooth parquet flooring temporarily covered the sand, but the sleek black chairs and tables with off-white tablecloths and deep maroon centerpieces were a little more her style. This was far more than she needed or even wanted, but Calleigh had to admit that it was absolutely beautiful. Eric's sisters had really outdone themselves, and she surprisingly didn't mind having her non-wedding turned into somewhat of an actual wedding.

Between the fading sun and the breezes from the ocean just twenty yards away, it was just balmy enough to be comfortable in very little without getting too cool. That worked well for her, considering her white halter dress dipped way low in back and just low enough in front. And _that_ had evidently worked incredibly well on Eric because he hadn't taken his eyes off her all evening.

This really was perfect – so perfect she didn't even really know what to do with herself beneath all the pretty lights and among all the elated people. But Eric was so good at this, and he had his fingers threaded with hers as he navigated them through the small sea of faces. Thankfully, all of them were familiar, but she still lit up a little extra for a select few.

"Alexx," Calleigh greeted excitedly, then patiently waiting as Eric wrapped their friend into a hug. "You look amazing," she noted as she got her turn, closing her eyes for a moment as Alexx's comforting arms wrapped around her.

"That's my line, honey." Alexx clasped Calleigh's hands in hers to look her over, tilting her head slightly and smiling proudly. "You look absolutely gorgeous."

"Thank you."

"Congratulations to both of you," she said, genuine eyes dancing between the two of them. "Let me know if you need help with the baby here."

"Thank you, but just have fun," Eric assured, smiling as he glanced around. "My mom has her somewhere…probably feeding her all sorts of stuff she's not supposed to have. Feel free to steal her away, though."

Laughing, Alexx nodded and squeezed their hands. "I might have to do that. She's too cute not to. See you later."

Eric laid his palm over Calleigh's bare back, finally managing a few moments away from people to return back to their table. As she lifted her wine glass to her lips, he couldn't help but let his eyes roam over her.

The dress clung to all her curves loosely enough to remain classy and then draped over her hips to fall to the floor in smooth, satiny waves. Her skin was as creamy as ever, with just a hint of sun-kissed freckles sprinkled over her shoulders from all their recent walks on the beach with Alexa. Her naturally wavy hair, which he loved, had been curled into perfect barrel curls and the top half was twisted back, leaving most of her hair to cascade down her back.

Everything was simple, but simple was more than enough for her. Alexx was right; she looked absolutely gorgeous.

When she noticed his eyes on her yet again, she slowly set her glass down and smiled. Truth be told, she'd found it just as hard to keep her eyes off him all evening. His light clothing just emphasized the beautiful caramel of his skin, and his eyes looked especially golden brown amid the combination of natural and soft, artificial light. Though his mother had begged him to shave, Calleigh adored the rough stubble littering his cheeks and chin.

Tugging at his white button-up, she drew him closer and his hands came to rest on her sides. As she pushed up onto the tips of her toes to capture his lips with hers, one of his hands moved to dive into her curls and cradle her head. Though her lips moved against his gently, there was an underlying intensity resonant of the day.

For all intents and purposes, they were already married, and they'd been a family since long before Alexa was born. That had been enough for her. She didn't really need the symbolism or the ceremony, and she definitely didn't even _want_ the admiring eyes and awkward traditions. Their wedding had been true to that – no forced toasts or outdated rituals, no walking down the aisle to cheesy music or being given away. It had just been them – and the people who mattered.

Still, for all her apathy toward such symbolism, she was realizing that seeing that band around his finger did a little something to her. And she was pretty sure it was more than just the knowledge that she'd no longer have to shoot daggers with her eyes at women who fawned over him with Alexa in public. It was something deeper. They were finally here – had been for a while, really, which was why they hadn't been in a rush.

Tearing his lips from hers, he rested his forehead against hers and smiled as her hand reached up to rake through his short hair. This was anticlimactic in the best possible way – a wedding day without nerves, full of assuredness and long overdue.

"I want to go see her now," Calleigh whispered softly, the first to give in. Time with Alexa today had been unbearably scarce, and consisted mostly of stolen moments here and there.

Chuckling, Eric began scanning the small group. His eyes finally landed on Anna and a few members of his family, including his mother with Alexa seated on her hip. Taking Calleigh's hand in his, he led her toward their favorite person, grinning the moment her eyes found them and immediately lit up. Her little legs and arms were squirming and flailing excitedly all over the place by the time they'd come close, and Calleigh immediately scooped her into her arms.

"Mama!"

"Hi, gorgeous," she soothed, settling Alexa in against her hip. Slobbery fingers that had undoubtedly been in the toddler's mouth were curiously exploring her satiny, smooth dress, but Calleigh didn't mind at all. "You like my dress?"

She received a toothy grin in response, complete with dimpled cheeks and a scrunched button nose – more than enough to make both Calleigh and Eric melt. And then her bright hazel eyes were looking upward, following the columns of lights above.

"Lights?" she asked for clarification, pointing up.

"That's right," Calleigh assured, following her gaze. "Pretty lights."

"Pret lights…" Alexa repeated, trying out the phrase with a few mispronounced and missing letters.

As Eric leaned in to kiss their daughter's temple, Calleigh met his eyes, proudly communicating what they both knew: she was growing and learning so fast. And with the running around and babbling words came the slow disappearance of her baby features. Her cheeks were still adorably chubby, but her features were beginning to thin into more of Calleigh's heart-shaped face. Her light brown hair, a genetic compromise, was long enough to be collected into low pigtails behind her tiny ears. And hazel eyes, brown around the edges with a burst of green at the center, were taking in almost everything these days.

They were all soon distracted by the music pouring through speakers, and as several pairs of eyes landed on them expectantly, Calleigh shook her head.

"I said no awkward first dance stuff." She tilted her head accusingly at Eric, but he held his hands up defensively.

"I told them," he assured, fully aware that partaking in such plans would surely not bode well for him. Calleigh was a private person, very reserved and collected, and putting such a private, romantic moment on display for everyone to see was probably near the top of her most uncomfortable situations. After all, there were co-workers and superiors here; Eric understood that. But as the corners of his lips curved upward into a smirk she realized that, even if he had nothing to do with this, he was enjoying it.

"Ven aqui," Clorinda requested, eyes sparkling playfully as she reached for Alexa. "You have to dance, mija."

"No." Calleigh smiled sweetly and shook her head, fixing her eyes on Alexa, who was in unknowing agreement as she shook her head right along with her mother. "No, we don't. Not alone, anyway." She gently hoisted Alexa higher on her hip, content to stay right here and far, far away from the center of that empty dance floor.

Alexa, however, had much different feelings toward that word. "Dance?" she asked, wide, hopeful eyes waiting on Calleigh.

"_You_ can dance all you want, Sweetheart." Calleigh set her on the floor below, watching as her daughter bounced her legs and swayed her little hips to a beat not at all in sync with the slow music currently filling the air.

Like most people nearby, she was so focused on Alexa's adorable antics that she hadn't noticed the not-so-subtle nonverbal urging her sister and Eric's sisters were giving Eric. And she didn't think much of his arms wrapping around her snugly until he was pulling her back, closer and closer to that still empty dance floor, and it was more than a little too late.

"Eric. No."

He'd be able to tell if she was serious – and she wasn't – so he didn't hesitate to sweep her legs out from under her and lift her into his arms. Before she knew it she was in the center of that damn floor, being spun a little as he lowered her back to solid ground and wrapped his arms around her waist once again.

"I am so going to kill you one day," she whispered even as she stepped up on the tips of her toes to secure her arms around his neck. She was doing her best to focus on him and not on the people watching with whom she'd have to resume work on a professional basis next week.

"Not today." His tone was confident and nonchalant as he swayed her softly to the music. "That wouldn't be a very good end to a wedding."

"Mmm, you'd think…" Grinning, she toyed with the hairs at the nape of his neck and he pressed his forehead to hers. "Might wanna enjoy it while it lasts." She surprised him then by tilting her chin up slightly and pressing her lips to his. Hands gliding down her back, he smiled into the kiss, letting his touch dip low to where fabric clung to the small of her back.

When she pulled away, the sound of a familiar cry distracted her and her eyes were immediately seeking Alexa. She hadn't needed to look far, though. Alexa was quite vocally protesting their absence and battling her grandmother's arms. Finally ripping away with an impatient scream, she bolted for the dance floor, for her parents, and ran toward them with frustrated tears streaming down her cheeks.

Eric squatted down and her pace quickened, eager to be in his comforting arms. Calleigh had to smile as she watched them adoringly, noting the way Alexa yanked a fistful of his shirt in an attempt to pull herself up even closer to him. He lifted her in response, cradling her against his chest and soothingly rubbing her back.

"What's wrong, Carina?" he asked as she buried her face in the crook of his neck, tears magically subsiding.

Letting her become a part of their dance, Eric held her against him with one arm and placed his free hand on Calleigh's lower back once again. She wrapped an arm around his neck once again, her other helping to support Alexa as Eric resumed their now slightly awkward dance. Oblivious to all the eyes on them, Calleigh laughed a little though her eyes were flitting over Alexa worriedly.

"She'll be okay while we're gone," Eric assured before she could ask, so in tune with those eyes.

"I know, and part of why we waited was so she'd be old enough to be without us for a few days…" It was obvious she was still trying to convince herself.

"Five days in a cabin in Colorado with only us in bed by a fireplace to stay warm will be worth it." His playful, excited eyes persuaded her, and soon she was cupping the back of his head to bring his lips back down to hers.

Finally, others were filtering on to the dance floor and Calleigh felt a little more at ease. She relaxed into him and Alexa, fingers delicately tracing her daughter's hairline as she tucked a few tendrils behind her ear. Sighing contentedly, she placed her arm back along Eric's beneath Alexa's thighs and studied the two of them.

Eric was so, so good with her, just as she knew he'd be, and yet it still kind of stole her breath away at times. So did the fact that she was here, after all she'd been through, with a family that more than made up for her dysfunctional one. While as she'd grown up her mother had become even more distant and clueless, Calleigh felt closer to Alexa every day. She was helping her grow and learn, watching her personality develop – feisty and impatient, yet gentle and innocently curious at the core. And she was still absolutely in love with it all.

It hit her again – that thought she'd been turning over in her mind for the past few months.

"Eric," she began softly, eyes dancing between his and then over Alexa again. "I want another one."

Confused, his brows furrowed for a moment until he took in her amazed, hopeful eyes and nervous smile. The widening of his surprised eyes just made her smile even broader.

"Another baby?" He was serious, with a questioning brow raised, but an amused smile was beginning to tug at the corners of his lips.

"Yeah…" Her eyes searched his, neither of them noticing they'd altogether stopped moving to the music. "I've been thinking about it for a while."

Gaze still locked with hers, he let the idea settle for a moment. Of course he _wanted_ another baby – and soon – but the practical and rational side of him hadn't expected this so quickly. Alexa hadn't exactly been planned, and afterward Calleigh had been practically bursting at the seams to get back in the field. She'd struggled to keep up with feedings while working, and she'd all but thrown a party the day she could slink back on in to her favorite little black dress. The idea of her wanting to do it all again so soon was…surprising.

"What happened to hating to miss out on the guns and chasing bad guys?" He studied her eyes, truly leveling with her as he tried to gauge her reaction. "You haven't even been back in the field for a full year."

"I know, and I love it…" she trailed off, rolling her eyes at herself. "But it's just different now. And it feels pointless to wait if we want this, especially when we don't even know if we have time to wait… It's not like we have another ten or fifteen years."

Alexa was now asleep on his shoulder, and Calleigh watched her contentedly sleep for a moment before looking up at Eric again. She saw it in his eyes, too – the want to do it all over again, and then maybe again, but she could also tell he was worried about what she really wanted.

As he watched her, however, he took in her honest eyes and knew she'd never be rash about a potentially huge decision. She'd been thinking about this for 'a while,' apparently. Knowing Calleigh, it had probably been building up for weeks, months even, and tonight had been the boiling point. _That_ made him smile right back at her, leaving her wondering just what he was thinking as he pulled her back to him and lowered his lips to her temple.

With his sister approaching to likely take Alexa home for the night, he simply rubbed her bare upper arm and whispered, "We'll talk about it later?"

"Okay." She nodded, leaning in to kiss Alexa goodnight – and goodbye, she realized with a sad smile. "Love you," she added just before Eric kissed Alexa, too, and gently transferred her into his sister's arms.

"Have a good time," Christina teased, eyes playfully dancing between them as she walked off.

Calleigh laughed, but her eyes were lingering thoughtfully on her daughter's retreating face. And when she turned back to Eric, he was watching her with the very same intensity.

* * *

From the elegant bathroom, Calleigh could just barely hear Eric's end of a rather entertaining conversation with his sister.

"Yes…I _know_…I _know_ we're on our honeymoon, but-"

She smiled at his frustrated sigh, practically able to imagine Christina's lecture in both Spanish and English words going a mile a minute. Looking in the mirror, she drew her hair back into her hands to run her fingers through the fading curls.

Beside her reflection, the small window revealed a world that was so foreign to them: snow-covered hills that went on for miles, cold and dark yet somehow beautiful. To two people who'd lived in sunny, beachy Miami for so long, there really was nothing more romantic than several days in a secluded, snowy forest that guaranteed they'd barely step outside their bedroom.

"We are not ridiculous," she heard him defend, and finally, _finally_, Christina must have let him get his point across. "We just want to know if she fell asleep okay, and if you gave her the yellow blanket because…"

He paused for a moment, and Calleigh knew he must have been listening to Christina finish the sentence they'd already delivered to her at least five times. '…_because she gets scared without it.'_

For a brief moment, she entertained the idea that maybe, just maybe, they were being a little ridiculous…and then she remembered that they were thousands of miles away from their daughter for the first time. Calling to make sure she was sleeping peacefully with her security blanket was…perfectly acceptable.

"Okay, good," he said, his chuckle a low rumble throughout the wooden cabin. "Yes, that's all. I promise. I-"

As Calleigh examined her reflection in the mirror, she heard him stop short and knew Christina had probably hung up on him. Smiling, she turned to the side, making sure the lacy designs on her simple but sexy little chemise were falling in all the right places. And they were, the design exposing skin on her lower back in behind and then revealing just enough in front to drive him wild. The rest of the material was satin and it was loose enough to flow, but it still clung to her curves and cut off high up on her thighs.

"Okay," Eric began as he moved throughout the beautiful cabin towards their master suite. "Alexa fell asleep just fine _with_ her blanket, we aren't allowed to call for two days, the fire is going, and…wow."

He froze in the doorway as his eyes fell on her with a certain amazement, taking in the natural sexiness emanating from her that the beauty of her curves, her skin, her face all helped create. And that little gown…he blipped through his mental catalogue of her sexy little numbers, from unintentionally sexy oversized t-shirts to several very intentional little gowns, and this one was definitely not in there.

She tucked a bottle of lotion back into her make-up bag and turned around. "Hey," she uttered playfully, confidently, as she rested her palms against the counter behind her and leaned into it. "And…?" she teased, eyes sparkling, fully knowing he'd completely lost that thought.

"I…have no idea," he admitted, grinning. He focused on her delicate face for a moment before his eyes trailed downward unabashedly. "So this is new…"

"This?" She smoothed her hand over the material, unknowingly bringing that lace just the teeniest bit lower and driving him that much more crazy. "Kinda. I've been holding out on you."

He laughed, both at the thought and at the confident, teasing way she pursed her lips and shrugged her shoulders. Still, just the idea of Miss Non-Tradition hoarding sexy lingerie for their honeymoon tripped him up a little. She could still completely surprise him.

The familiar tone signaling a daily alarm on her phone resonated throughout the bathroom. She turned back, shushing the phone and dutifully reaching into her make-up bag to retrieve the compact of pills. Popping it open, she paused at the feel of his chest against her back, of his arms wrapping around her small frame.

His hands slid down her arms tantalizingly slow, finally covering hers and taking the compact into his own hands. He turned it over: a brand new pack, another month of letting her wrestle with the decision in her mind…or they could give in to what they both wanted right now and be that much closer to potentially achieving it.

Eyes meeting hers in their reflection, he watched a curious smile spread across her lips and knew the answer was obvious. She was ready. _They_ were ready, and they both wanted this more than anything.

"You really don't mind not being in the field?" He rested his head against hers, taking in the lingering sweet scent of her shampoo until the temptation of her skin became too great. Lowering his mouth to her shoulder, his lips skimmed over her skin with light kisses.

"For this?" She drew his eyes to hers in the mirror. "Not at all."

Acquiescing, she tilted her head to the side as his lips landed on her neck, studying the elated grin now highlighting his features in between kisses. Snapping the compact shut, he tossed it into the wastebasket and secured his arms around her, all too aware of the way her beautiful smile broadened.

His lips continued their journey, dancing over the sensitive skin just below her ear before she turned in his arms. Hands gliding down her sides, he gripped her thighs and eased her body up onto the counter, settling in between her legs. As he ducked down to kiss the corner of her mouth, her hands landed on either side of his face and she matched him smile for smile.

Running his fingers through her long hair, he leaned in closer to her body and brushed his lips against hers once, twice, and then a third, deeper time before pulling back slightly. His eyes were still alight with the prospect of creating a life within the next few months and she just watched him for a moment before drawing his forehead down to hers.

"What?" he asked, noticing the emotion in her eyes as she studied him.

"Nothing." She smiled, hands gliding over the muscles in his neck and then over his firm shoulders. Slipping down further, she pushed the first button on his shirt loose, followed by the next and then the next. "I just love you," she said softly, teasingly bringing her lips to his only to kiss his bottom lip lightly.

"I love you, too," he whispered, cradling her face in his hand so he could fully capture her lips with his. His free hand traveled over the silky material and down to her bare leg, grazing over her thigh slowly until he curved his hand around the back of it. The promise of more of his warm touch everywhere had her deepening the kiss, taking the bait when his tongue darted out to tease her bottom lip and parting her lips for him.

Hooking her legs around him, he gripped her thighs to pick her up and carried her toward the oversized bed by the fireplace. As he eased her down, he dotted kisses along her chest, up her neck again, and then finally took her mouth against his once more.

Calleigh sighed into the kiss, reveling in how it felt to just be, to live together now as a family without reservation. Not only did they have Alexa, but now they were making the decision together to do it all over again.

They were finally here, though that wasn't necessarily a surprise to either of them. After all, it was bound to happen sooner or later. They just preferred sooner.


End file.
